Sweetness
by Mato-Gin
Summary: Tsuna's always been teased about vampires and no one seems to come near him except his best friend Yamamoto who actually knows a thing or two about them. With the sweet smell that Tsuna tends to give off, it's not only Yamamoto that wants to be with him. Things get out of hand when a mysterious person tries to break in and drops a silver metal ring. Who wants to bite a Tuna? 8027
1. Can You Handle?

A/N: Enjoy~

* * *

**~Sweetness~**

**Chapter 1 - Can You handle?**

* * *

"_So up next is Tsuna-kun right? Why won't you and your dad come up here?_

_Tsuna fidgeted in his seat as his eyes shifted right and left. _

"_C'mon, Tsuna," Iemetsu wrapped his calloused fingers around his son's hand. _

_His seat screeched back as he reluctantly got up and followed his father down the seemingly long isle. There was a snicker of laughter as he passed by and he lowered his head, tilting it away from his father's black robes. _

"_So what do you do, Sawada-san?" the teacher asked as they both reached the front of the room._

"_I'm a priest, as you can tell" he smiled referring to his dark black and white uniform; a cross hung around his neck for all to see. _

_There was a sudden smile plastered on every kid's face around the room and they looked at each other. Smiles turned to suppressed giggles, then into outright laughter. _

"_Don't be rude, children!" the teacher snapped her head, "What's so funny?"_

_The woman looked around the room and honed in on the kid who laughed the loudest. _

"_Do you have something to say, Takeshi?" _

_The dark haired boy was cracking up in his seat. He shook his head almost about to cry trying to answer. _

"_Oji-san," the kid was finally able to let out as he wrapped his arms around his sides controlling his laughter, "Is it true you hunt vampires?"_

_Iemetsu's face drew back. "Vampires?" _

"_Yeah! Vampires!" the class chimed in._

"_We heard you collect their fangs and hang them on your wall!"_

"_Where did you kids hear that?" he asked._

_The blond man drew a childish frown. How did he get from a priest to a vampire hunter?! He looked down at his son for some explanation only to see him turn away, his face flushed red. _

"_Takeshi!" the teacher yelled. "That's not-"_

"_Yes, I do," Iemetsu cut her off. _

_The children stopped laughing and everyone stared at him. _

"_Really?" the dark haired boy who was called out smiled and leaned forward against his desk. _

"_Yup!" _

"_Dad!" Tsuna looked pleadingly at the tall, muscular man he called his father._

_The man only returned a smile. _

"_In fact," Iemetsu suddenly scooped Tsuna up to his shoulder, "this was the first vampire I caught!" _

"_Whhaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttt?" the kids gasped. _

"_Tsuna's a vampire?!"_

"_But he doesn't burn in the sun!" _

"_I-I'm not!" the small brunette called out; he clung to his father's neck and burrowed his embarrassed face deep into his father's yellow hair. _

"_Eh~ He doesn't act like a vampire at all!" one of the kids whined. "Kinda wimpy," _

_Iemetsu could feel the heat from Tsuna's face getting stronger._

"_Hehehe," he tried to laugh it off, "I was just kidding! If anything, he's the total opposite! Right, Tsuna?"_

_He patted his son's back trying to comfort him but he still wouldn't show his face. The kids in the class murmured disappointed and the teacher tried to calm them down. _

"_That's too bad," Takeshi smiled, "It would've been really cool if he was,"_

_The blond priest froze as he heard a ringing laughter come from the dark haired boy's throat. It was a clear ringing sound – sharp and almost exotic. His face tensed as he slowly looked to the little boy. His hazel eyes met a pair of young yellow ones that studied him back. _

"_Vampires are really fun," Takeshi grinned, his small white teeth barring their selves in the open._

…_..._

* * *

Tsuna's eyes shot open.

Beep. Beeeep. Beeeeep. Beeeeeeep.

Those weren't the sounds of his alarm. He turned his head on his pillow and looked at the clock – 4:30 A.M. Not even CLOSE to the time he set the alarm for.

"Ugh..." he let out an irritated sigh.

But what was that noise beeping in his head?! He twisted under his covers and cuffed his ears. Someone turn that noise off!

"Aaaaggghhh!" he dug his fingers against the side of his head.

It kept getting louder and louder, higher and higher, until a heavy thud smacked against his window. He jumped up from his bed and turned to the glass opening. The curtains flew open and followed the incoming draft hiding a dark silhouette behind them. Tsuna's hand grew cold.

"W-who's there?!"

The murky shadow froze, turned its head towards him, and a paralysis caught Tsuna's body.

"Hn!"

His eyes grew wide, waiting.

"Sawada," a quick breath whispered his name.

The curtains died down and uncovered an empty windowsill. There was no body behind the shadow. No body? The brunette let out a heavy breath he couldn't release earlier. Who the heck was that?! He threw his covers and stumbled out of bed to the window and looked down below. Was someone trying to prank him?! He searched the streets below and saw someone running away. So someone _was _just messing with him! The person was too far for him to make out as he squinted his eyes.

Pranks. Endless pranks. He slowly stepped back and closed the window, his hand lingering on the glass. What did they even want?! He broke down and slid to the floor. Damn! And he made sure no one knew where he lived! How?! How did they find him?! He sat down against the wall and something pricked his leg.

"Ow!" he hissed and grabbed the thing under him. "Huh?"

A small metallic ring squished between his fingers. Did the person trying to break in drop it? He brought his face closer and saw it had some odd engravings on it. A pout sprouted on his face and he trapped the ring in his fist. Whatever it meant, this belonged to that jerk who was trying to sneak into his room! He clenched his teeth and a serious look filled his eyes. He's had it! He was going to find the owner of the ring, and prank the jerk back!

…...

* * *

Black slacks, black leather shoes, black tie, starched white collared shirt, and burgundy blazer – that was the new uniform ever since he entered Shinsei Namimori (Holy Namimori?), a prestigious private Catholic school.

He entered the gate and as usual, everyone avoided him. A silence suddenly fell the crowd of students in front of the school and he stopped. What was wrong with these guys?! He looked around but they all turned away as soon as he made eye contact.

"Tsuna!"a cheerful voice called his name.

A heavy body jumped him from the back.

"Yo!" the dark haired boy smiled.

An arm slid around his shoulders and he found himself smiling.

"Yamamoto!"

"Hehe," the boy laughed as took the lead in walking. "What's up? You look like you didn't sleep!"

Tsuna rubbed the dark circles under his eyes, "Ah... I guess I stayed up too late watching a new episode that came out last night,"

"Really?" Yamamoto tilted his head.

It almost seemed like he felt his lie.

"Yeah," he turned away.

"Me too!" his white teeth showed through his smile, " It was so cool yesterday! I was watching a new episode of Doraemon..."

His friend continued to ramble but he couldn't pay attention. The ring in his pocket burned through his leg and he kept glancing at other students. Who could have possibly owned the ring? That girl with the ponytail over there? That boy with the prefect emblem around his arm? The prefect suddenly flicked his eyes towards him and he jumped back.

"Tsuna," Yamamoto called out.

"Y-yeah?!"

"We're here,"

…...

* * *

Yamamoto opened the classroom door and the brunette apologized as they walked in.

"Haha, you're really out of it today aren't you, Tsuna?"

"Yeah, so-"

"Yamamoto-san!" a girl ran up to him, cutting Tsuna off, "Good morning!"

The teen stepped back surprised. There was suddenly a girl with dark brown hair cutely anticipating to say something in front of him. Her shining eyes screamed his name – "Yamamoto-san! Yamamoto-san!" they seemed to say.

"Oh, morning," he waved; his small attention to her caused her to smile.

"Oh, um, have you heard? Sensei's going to be gone today; they say he got caught in an accident so we're going to be moved to the library for bible study,"

"Bible study?" he repeated raising his brows.

"Yeah," she blushed, "so um, you want to go together? We can sit next to each other,"

Yamamoto tried to hide a face. Bible study? That was actually what he hated the most in this school. It seemed ironic he didn't want to study the bible when he was in a Catholic school, but it wasn't his decision anyways.

"So you want too?" she persisted.

"Oh well, um,"

"Excuse me," a small voice called behind him as the small brunette brushed past him.

Yamamoto instinctively reached out his hand and grabbed Tsuna's.

"Sorry, but I was already going to sit with this guy," he apologized pointing to the small boy.

"Who?" the girl pouted looking over as Tsuna turned away. Her eyes grew wide in recognition. "O-Oh," she smiled nervously. "Never mind then! I'll just sit with Kyoyko and them,"

She stepped back and tripped on the desk.

"Woah! Are you okay?" Yamamoto caught her by the waist.

She looked up and her face blushed a crimson red.

"Y-yeah!" she hurriedly stood back up and ignored the romantic opportunity. "T-thanks," she pushed him off and walked away.

The two boys looked at her go. _Sorry, _he thought again.

"You didn't have to do that for me," Tsuna blushed. The boy started to feel bad.

"Hm?"

"Yamamoto-san's pretty popular and I know everyone doesn't like me so... You should go sit with her,"

The taller boy's face cooled as he tightened his grip on Tsuna's hand.

"What are you talking about?" he leaned over putting his face right in front of the brunette's. "I just wanted to sit with you,"

"Mn!," Tsuna's face turned red.

"Hehe,"

_His surprised face is pretty cute too. _Tsuna turned his face away again.

"T-thanks,"

Tsuna meekly turned his eyes to their hands; he was still holding it. He turned away again, his face getting even redder. Yamamoto noticed and even he started getting embarrassed.

"I-I guess we gotta go to the library then," he turned away as well, "Let's go,"

…...

* * *

Yamamoto still held his hand. Why wasn't he letting go? Tsuna looked up and saw that his friend's ears were red. Was he sick? Still, he probably wasn't as red as him. Tsuna could feel the heat from his face and all over his body; even his hands were sweating. _Ugh.. Yamamoto must think it's gross. _For some reason, he could feel a heavy set of eyes on him and he looked up, searching for people's faces as they walked the hallway. Were they judging them?

"Yamamoto," he tried to call out but his voice was still too weak.

They kept on walking, his friend as the lead holding his hand.

…...

* * *

Flip. Flip... The only sounds he was supposed to hear were the pages turning from his book. This was the library wasn't it?

"Hehehe,"

His eyes shot up like a sword at the suppressed laughter.

"Hehehehe,"

His steel cold blue eyes pierced at the student who was laughing. _Shut up!_

"Hehe-" the student looked up feeling his glare and sealed his lips.

"Quiet," he ordered.

The spiky haired boy looked away hiding a smile. His shoulders were still shaking and he put his head down but Alaude knew, the boy was still looking at his brunette friend sitting next to him quietly laughing. This was why he always hated new students. Every year, they grew worse and worse. He turned his eyes away and flipped his book. Maybe he should take over the Disciplinary Committee one day.

…...

* * *

Tsuna saw their platinum blond sempai return his eyes back to his book. Out of all of them, they had to get the strictest one to watch over them.

"Stop," Tsuna smiled at Yamamoto.

The spiky haired boy ignored him and kept drawing on his notebook. Yamamoto took a quick look at Alaude and started to doodle him.

"Is that supposed to be Alaude-sempai?" he whispered putting his head down on the desk.

A badly drawn blob with angry eyebrows started to emerge from the paper. His friend kept a smile and drew another person standing triumphantly on top of him. "Giotto" he drew an arrow pointing to the spiky haired figure. The two started laughing. It was no secret the mighty blond from Italy was tamed by the charismatic president of the student body – Giotto Vongola.

"Pfft," Tsuna tried to muffle his laugh with his hand. It was so true! "Hahaha,"

Yamamoto smiled seeing the brunette's laughing face and followed him snickering too loud.

SLAM. A pale hand smacked the notebook right between their faces. Their bodies froze and became pale. _No... _Tsuna's eyes grew wide.

"What is this supposed to be?" The hand suddenly crumpled the paper as a dark chilling aura paralyzed their voices mute. "First years," the voice seemed like it escaped deep from hell.

"A-Alaude-sempai...," the two slowly turned around.

They both refused to look up at his eyes.

"Do you know what happens when you don't study?"

There was a pause. They fidgeted in their seats but some force pulled their eyes up to look at the icy blue ones of their upperclassman.

"PUNISHMENT," a smirk ran through his face.

…...

* * *

"I'm sorry," Yamamoto apologized.

"It's alright," Tsuna huffed as he dropped a sandbag on the floor. "Phew," he stood up and rubbed his back. "It's just helping out with the P.E. field and stuff. It's partly my fault anyway,"

Tsuna bent down and picked up another bag.

"Ah! Do you need help with that?" Yamamoto rushed over.

"No, it's fine,"

"YAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!" a scream radiated through the whole field.

The two looked up and saw a pole jumper fly through the air and land on the blue mat.

"YEEEAAAHHHHH!" the boy got up, bouncing off the mat, screaming all pumped. "TO THE EXTREME!"

"Good job, Sasagawa!" the coach went up and high fived the student.

"THANK YOU, SENSEI!" he screamed. "WOOOOOOOOOOOOTTT! LET ME GO AGAIN!"

The man laughed rubbing his ears as he watched the hyper student sprint back and get the pole.

Tsuna stood still. That guy could jump high. Even pretty easily to get up to a two story house. Tsuna looked around and realized just how many athletic people there were in the school. Hurdles, sprints, long jump... All of them could have easily climbed up to his room. He thought back and remembered the running figure. He ran a bit funny, like he was injured. He snapped his head and looked around. That person could be here right now! He focused on the students running. One of them...

"Hey!" a voice called out. "Sawada! We need those bags right now!"

"Huh?!" He reluctantly looked away, "C-coming!"

He took one last glance at the sprinters and started running when his foot got caught on the dirt.

"Oooofff!" he hit the ground.

He went in, head first, making his vision a blur but he saw someone coming closer.

"Tsuna!" Yamamoto ran up to him. "Are you okay?!"

He went down and picked him up by the arm.

"Um. Y-yeah,"

There was a sting on his elbow and he looked to see raw skin.

"Agh!" he winced.

"Just a scratch," his friend assured. "We should get a band aid though,"

Yamamoto was about to help him stand when he saw something shine on the floor.

"What's that?" he picked up the silver metal. "Did you drop something?" He looked it over and froze, his eyes darting over the unique engravings. "Tsuna," he turned serious, "Where did you get this?"

"Hmn?" the brunette looked up and saw it was the ring he was carrying around, "I found it."

"Where?"

"In my room," Tsuna finally noticed the change in his friend's expression. "Why?"

The brunette's eyes fell at the other boy's hand and saw a similar ring on his middle finger.

"Y-you have one too!" Tsuna grabbed his hand.

Yamamoto grew tense and smacked his hand away. For a second, there was fear in his eyes, but calmed after he realized what he was doing.

"Sorry,"

"No, it's fine," Tsuna dismissed what just happened.

He was about to get up when the spiky haired teen pulled him back down.

"You said you found this in your room?"

"Yeah," he nodded. For some reason, he felt nervous the way Yamamoto looked at him.

"Somebody tried to sneak in," the dark haired boy's face tightened as if he already knew.

"Y-yeah! How did you know?!"

His friend looked at him with serious eyes and Tsuna looked away.

"And that's why you've been looking around so much today,"

"Y-yeah,"

"You think some one in our school did it?"

"Y-yeah,"

Tsuna grew red at all his questions. Was it from shame or embarrassment?

"You think you can find the person by just looking?"

The brunette quickly turned to face him. Why would he ask that?! Yamamoto's eyes softened and he looked away again.

"You don't have to keep turning away," Tsuna felt Yamamoto's long arms lightly wrapping around him. "Or keep looking at other people. You can just look at me,"

The brunette's voice suddenly got caught. What was he saying?! Tsuna placed his arm between his chest just to keep it from touching Yamamoto or else he'd know just how loud his heart was beating.

"But that person who broke in," he tried to argue.

"I told you, just look at me," the dark haired boy smiled, "I'll take care of it for you. Trust me,"

There was only silence as Tsuna got caught in Yamamoto's confidence. He felt his rough hands brush through his hair and for a moment, he got lost. Lost... Lost in trust? Or... Or something... He didn't know.

By now, Yamamoto's face was snuggled deep into Tsuna's dark brown hair.

"Yamamoto," he called out.

He saw the dark haired boy biting his lips. Was he in pain?

"Yamamoto," he repeated again.

The boy took a deep breath, almost like a pant.

"You... You smell... really good,"

The smaller boy looked at him as his voice came out a little raspy, as if he was holding back. Tsuna opened his mouth to call his name again.

"Where's Yamamoto and Sawada?!" a voice yelled interrupting them.

Tsuna jumped back snapping out of it and pushed Yamamoto away.

"W-we still haven't finished getting all the sandbags!" he stumbled to get up. He tried to cover his flushed face as he tried to get away.

"Eh?" the dark haired boy watched as the brunette ran, partly tripping, towards the pile of undelivered sacks of sand.

Yamamoto gave a light smile and slowly stood up, stuffing the ring in his pocket. _Damn, _he rubbed the back of his neck disappointed. That was the first time he almost couldn't control himself. The smaller boy waddled by with a huge stack of sandbags.

"Woah!" Tsuna called out as a huge portion suddenly disappeared and landed on the taller teen's shoulders.

"Let me help," Yamamoto smiled.

…...

* * *

Tsuna stared out the window. He could still feel Yamamoto hugging him. He ignored the substitute teacher droning on as he dwelled on the memory of the muscular teen's hands.

"_You smell really good..." _

He blushed recalling his words. Did he really? Tsuna was about to smell his arm when he jerked his head and almost slammed his face on the table. What was he thinking?! Why was he trying to smell himself?!

"Student back there," the old man at the front of the room called out, "are you alright?"

The brunette looked up to see everyone was staring at him.

"Y-yes," he nodded and meekly put his head back down on the desk again, his face flushed as if that was the permanent color of his face now (thanks to Yamamoto).

Thinking back, he never answered his question of how he knew someone tried to sneak in his house. Tsuna looked out the window again. And why did Yamamoto also have a ring? It didn't seem like a cheap ring either, almost custom made. He rubbed his head thinking. After seeing Yamamoto have one, he kinda wanted to have one too. The thought immediately disappeared when he remembered that the jerk who tried to sneak in also had one too. The creeper! He was still out there! What if he decides to come back again?!

"_Just look at me. I'll take care of it for you. Trust me," _

Tsuna clenched his fists. _Trust you.._. Tsuna softened his eyelids. _I trust you, but what exactly are you going to do? _He tried to think but all he could manage was Yamamoto's smile. His confident demeanor. Unknowingly, a smile sprouted on his own face. If anyone could do anything, it was Yamamoto.

…...

* * *

He tried to keep his steps to match with the blond's but his stride was too fast.

"Are you still mad, Alaude?"

The vice president didn't answer.

"Alaude," Giotto repeated.

"Your punishment was too light. I don't understand why you had to change it," he pouted.

"Running 600 laps around the school was a little impossible," the president chuckled.

"As long as they have the will to repent for what they've done, they could do it,"

Alaude's chilling aura started to spread until Giottto place a hand on his shoulder.

"Helping set up and clean the P.E. field is pretty similar isn't it?" he smiled trying to persuade Alaude's attitude. "Not only are their legs going to be sore, but their whole body from running around and lifting things. Plus, they're being useful to the teachers,"

The blond cooled and thought about it. "Ordering them around like dogs..."

"W-what?! No! I didn't mean it like that!"

"I'm fine with that," Alaude coolly answered. "You're a more evil man that me. I guess that's why I'm fine with you being the head of the student body,"

Giotto let his head fall escaping a sigh. _Alaude... What am I going to do with you?... _They kept on walking and Giotto noticed that the blond slowed down his pace as they walked; his strict face finally loosened.

The president gave a light laugh. "Sometimes, I'm glad you can so easily be satisfied with me,"

Alaude's steps stopped.

"Hmn?" Giotto tilted his head.

"Satisfied?" the blond gritted.

He remembered the doodle the first years made in the library with Giotto on top of him. Satisfied?! _He _chooses what he does! He doesn't do what he doesn't want to do! Suddenly, a cold chill started to spread and pierce at the not so charismatic president in front of him.

"Ow," Giotto felt as if some ominous thing was directly pricking him.

"This dandelion," Alaude gritted through his teeth.

"D-dandelion?!" Giotto repeated surprised as Alaude reverted back to his long strides. "Is that an insult? Alaude!"

Giotto chased after him when the platinum blonde suddenly stopped in his tracks and he bumped into him.

"Alaude," he repeated his name. "Are you-"

His voice caught as a sudden paralysis crept up on him as well. It was a sweet scent. A nice scent. A _delicious_ scent. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

"What is that?" he gritted his teeth. It was useless trying to block the scent once they already inhaled it. "Where is it coming from?"

The two looked around and looked across the building.

"There," the vp pointed to the glass window.

Giotto looked outside and followed his finger to the other building. Right across was a brunette sitting next to the window, smiling.

"Sawada," he repeated.

He could feel the smell getting stronger just by looking at him.

"Hmn!" he forced himself to look away. "The whole school is going to smell it,"

"You gave him the wrong type of punishment," Alaude continued to sulk. "Sometimes, I think I have to punish you just so you could see for yourself how effective my methods are,"

Giotto paused and stared at the blond next to him.

"Are you... thinking out loud?"

The vp only stared at him back.

"No," Alaude turned away and started to walk ahead.

…...

* * *

Yamamoto jerked in his seat. What was that scent?! He put his head down on his desk shaking. Was it coming from Tsuna?! He was careful to slowly turn and peek between his arms and the scent smacked him straight in the face again.

"Ugh!" he quickly turned his head away again.

It was! What did that mean?! He was releasing the same scent earlier back at the field, but why was he releasing it now in class?! His breathing started to get heavy and his palms started to sweat. He bit his lips again and crossed his legs trying to refrain himself. He took the chance to lift up his head again to look around the classroom. The teacher was gone for a bathroom break and all the students started talking but hadn't gone up from their seats. Yamamoto started counting. _Good..._ He put his head back down. There were missing seats where he wanted there to be. Everyone acted normal and it was only him in this class. He clutched his chest and looked over again at Tsuna. What was he doing? Tsuna looked back down at his desk from the window and he saw a glimpse of his expression. He was smiling. Smiling? About what?

He continued to stare when from the side, he saw two figures standing across at the other building – both blond, and both powerful. _Giotto and Alaude-sempai?! _He was about to get up from his seat at what he saw when his legs broke. _I can't stand up!_ He gritted his teeth, sitting back down, as he saw the two upperclassmen struggling, bending over and covering their mouths. They could smell it. He saw Alaude point across the building and Giotto looked at Tsuna, then looked away. Yamamoto grunted, torn apart between what he wanted to do. If he got up, his instincts would only tell him to go to Tsuna. He dug his fingers on his forearms and withered in pain trying to control himself. Only when he saw the two upperclassmen leave did he turn away and look down at his desk again. If Giotto and Alaude could smell from across the building, there was no doubt others could smell it too. He had to get Tsuna out of here.

…_..._

* * *

Ding... Dong... Dong...

"Tsuna,"

The brunette turned to the hand on his shoulder.

"Let's go," Yamamoto smiled.

"Hm?"

"The bell rang already,"

"Oh, " he nodded, "yeah,"

He didn't even notice that the bell had rung. Was he just smiling in a daze the whole time? He quickly collected his things and stuffed them in his bag.

"I'm ready," he got up from his seat.

When Yamamoto didn't move, he looked up and found that his face was flushed.

"Yamamoto," he called out.

"Hmn?" the taller boy snapped back to reality. "Oh, sorry about that," he smiled.

"Your face is all red. Did something happen?"

Yamamoto's eyebrows went up, "No," he looked away, "Nothing,"

The way he reacted caused Tsuna face to heat up and redden.

"H-hey! You're turning red!" Yamamoto pointed out embarrassed.

"N-no I'm not!" Tsuna turned away.

Yamamoto bit his lip again and slung his arm around the brunette's shoulders.

…...

* * *

Was Tsuna trying to kill him?!

"Let's just go," Yamamoto tried to hide his face.

When he looked back down, he saw Tsuna smiling.

_Haaahh... _The dark haired teen let out a quiet sigh as the sweet scent started to get stronger again.

"You're very sweet when you smile," he absently let out.

Yamamoto realized what he just said and covered his mouth.

"Sorry, I..." his voice trailed as he saw Tsuna staring at him with a blush on his face.

The sweetness in the air started to attack his senses more violently.

"I'll treat you to some dango on the way!" Yamamoto blurted as he rushed Tsuna out of school.

…...

* * *

What was the rush? Tsuna panted as he tried to keep up with Yamamoto's long strides.

"S-slow down! Yamamoto-san!"

The taller teen looked back, slowed his pace, and stopped as Tsuna bent over and caught his breath.

"Sorry," he apologized.

The boy waved his hand unable to talk. After a second, Tsuna stood back up.

"I'm fine now," he smiled between calmed breaths.

Tsuna fixed his shirt and they started walking.

"You really wanted to get out of school, huh?" the brunette joked.

"Haha," Yamamoto smiled, "I heard the dango sale was going to end at 3:30 so I wanted to hurry,"

"Really?! Then should we hurry?"

The dark haired teen paused for a second then started to laugh again.

"No, it's fine,"

"But the dango,"

"We can get it another time," Yamamoto smiled.

Tsuna looked at him with his big brown eyes.

"Don't worry, I'll treat you next time," he assured him.

…...

* * *

As they got to Tsuna's house his mom greeted them at the door.

"Tsu-kun!" she called out popping out from the kitchen. "Look! I bought some dango today! They were having a sale at the store just a while ago!"

Yamamoto's face almost dropped as he saw the small woman come to the living room with a tray full of dango.

"Try some," she smiled. "You too, Takeshi-kun,"

"Thank you," he smiled as he took one.

"I'll go get drinks," Tsuna announced as he dropped his bag on the floor.

Yamamoto waited until Tsuna and his mom left to the kitchen and relaxed.

"Aahhhhh," he breathed a sigh of relief.

How lucky was that?! So he didn't tell a lie. The uneasy feeling left his stomach as he took a bite of the sweet dumpling. Was God watching him? He almost laughed. He didn't like to study about him, but He still helped him out? He took another bite.

"You really wanted those dango, huh?" Tsuna smiled as he set down a tray of water.

"Huh?" he looked up.

"You were smiling,"

Again, there was that scent.

"Tsu-kun," his mother called out, "after you're done, can you and your friend go up to your room? Some people are coming over later in the evening,"

"Sure," he nodded, "we'll clean up soon,"

"Your room?" Yamamoto repeated almost biting his lip again.

"Yeah," Tsuna noticed his expression, "you don't like it?"

"No, no," he shook his head, "I was just wondering if we could take some dango up there,"

_Okay, so that was a lie. _Yamamoto took another bite of the dumpling and finished a stick. He just had to control himself up there. Control himself!

After they were done, they cleaned up and Tsuna placed some dango on a plate to go up with them. Yamamoto eyed the plate Tsuna carried and scratched his head. So much dango...

"Just place your stuff anywhere," Tsuna let out as they entered the bedroom.

As soon as the door opened, a whiff of the sweet scent rushed by him. _Be strong, _Yamamoto sucked it up and walked into the room. He placed his stuff down near the small table in the middle of the room but as soon as he got close to Tsuna's bed, his knees hit the floor. _I'm dying! _The smell became so unbearably strong, he was sure he couldn't control himself. Blood rushed through his veins and he gritted his teeth. Yamamoto buried his head in his hands and tried to crouch but felt something soft under his hands.

"Yamamoto-san, are you okay?"

He slowly put his head up, praying he had on a normal expression.

"I'm fine," he almost smiled but quickly covered his mouth. "You're bed is just really... soft."

He patted his bed and smiled again. "Soft,"

Tsuna looked at him disbelieving.

"Does your teeth hurt?" he asked. "It's probably from the sweets."

"No, I'm fine,"

"Smile," Tsuna tried to pull Yamamoto's hand away from his mouth.

Yamamoto gave a smile without his teeth.

"It doesn't hurt," he repeated, "I just had something stuck between my teeth,"

The brunette backed off and nodded.

"So what should we study first?" Tsuna sat down changing the subject.

The dark haired boy followed and placed himself across from him.

"Uhm, there's a chemistry test tomorrow right? Maybe we should study that,"

"Alright,"

They laid out their chemistry books on the table and tried to go over the material. Hours went by as they tried studying formulas and going over equations.

"N-a-C-H... O?"

"NaCHO?" Yamamoto scratched his head, "I don't think that's right,"

The two flipped through the chemistry book but lost the page.

"Aahhhhh~ I give up," the dark haired teen threw the book and laid back on the floor. "My brain hurts,"

Tsuna closed the book and slumped down on the table. "Me too," he sighed.

Yamamoto shot back up and leaned over the table, "You wanna play any games?"

"I have my game console if you want. I can set that up,"

"Yeah," Yamamoto smiled, this time with his teeth.

Tsuna got up and set up the controlers on the t.v.

"Let's play this one," he took out an action game, "I'm not very good at it though,"

"It's fine," Yamamoto grabbed the controller, "I haven't played that game before so you might be able to beat me,"

"Ah..." Tsuna laughed ironically shaking his head.

Fifteen minutes later, Yamamoto was screaming another win.

"Yeah!" he leaned to the side frantically pressing buttons.

"YOU WIN," the game epically announced.

Yamamoto laughed as Tsuna stared lifelessly at the screen.

"It's okay, Tsuna! You just need a little more practice!" he patted him on the back. "Here," Yamamoto set the game on practice mode, "I'll help you."

"I don't know," Tsuna reluctantly shifted his eyes.

There was a countdown and enemies suddenly appeared from black smoke.

"Hn!" the brunette jumped, "What do I do?!"

He frantically started hitting buttons but the enemies kept overtaking him anyways.

"You've gotta make combos," Yamamoto called out. "Here,"

He reached from the back to reach the controller and Tsuna jumped.

"Woah!"

The dark haired teen fell back and hit the table spilling the water.

"Ah!" the cup fell on Tsuna's shirt.

Yamamoto immediately picked the cup back up, but the liquid already soaked through.

"I-I'm sorry!" Tsuna called out flushed.

"It's fine," Yamamoto placed the cup back on the table. "Do you need to change?"

"Yeah,"

The brunette shifted his eyes and got up to get another shirt. As he went to his drawer, he saw the time and it was already eight.

"Do you need to go home? It's already late,"

"Hm?" Yamamoto got out his phone and checked the time. "Woah, yeah, it is. I should go,"

"Alright then," Tsuna waved, "I guess I'll see you,"

He could hear Yamamoto shuffling to grab his bag as he took off his shirt.

"I had fun today," Tsuna let out.

_As long as he's leaving, _he thought, _I should say something. _He slipped his arms through his shirt and waited for his door to sound but nothing came.

"Actually, is it okay for me to stay over?" Yamamoto's voice rang instead.

Tsuna turned around.

"I have a change of clothes in my bag since baseball practice was cancelled today, and its pretty late. Plus, I did promise to help you out about the stalker. If anyone tries to come and break in again, I'll be here, so yeah,"

Yamamoto looked up to see Tsuna's reaction and found him staring, frozen as if someone took a picture of him barely putting his shirt on.

"Sure," the brunette smiled.

A sudden smack of that sweet scent pushed him back. This time, he couldn't control his teeth. He stepped back and covered his mouth.

"Are you okay?" Tsuna took a step forward.

"Yeah," he took another step back.

The brunette tilted his head trying to see his face but the dark haired boy wouldn't let.

"Alright, then. I'll just tell my mom,"

Tsuna quickly put on his new shirt and went downstairs.

"Mom," he could hear his voice.

As soon as he heard him reach downstairs, Yamamoto rushed to the restroom. He made sure the door was locked and leaned close to the mirror, tilting his head back. They were growing. He licked his teeth and felt the sharp edges. Can he really stay if Tsuna smiles like that all the time? He was already keeling over by entering his bedroom! He outlined his fangs and cut his tongue, blood dripped down his mouth. He had to stay. Someone with the same ring as him tried to attack Tsuna. Who knows if it was some dangerous psycho or demented person trying to sneak in to people's houses? He dug in to his pockets and took out the ring. If it was the person who he thought it was, then it was trouble. He shoved the ring back and looked at himself in the mirror. He _has _to stay.

He unlocked the bathroom door and headed downstairs. He should be there to ask if he could stay over for the night. Common courtesy, right? He walked down to the living room and saw that they were sitting outside on the patio. There was a tall man in a suit talking to Tsuna's mom as Tsuna stood beside the door. The woman laughed at something the man said and they got up, ready to leave. Tsuna slid the door open and the three entered back inside. As soon as he came in, Yamamoto recognized the man in the black suit. His curly sideburns could not be forgotten anywhere.

"Yamamoto-san," Tsuna called out as he saw him, "My mom says you can stay,"

"Um, thank you," he gave a slight bow. He gave a half smile as he felt uneasy with the man in the room.

"Well, alright then Reborn-kun," Nana gave him his jacket, "thank you for visiting. I hope you come back soon,"

"I will," he assured her as he put on the extra layer.

He headed out the door and brushed by Yamamoto, his eyes momentarily meeting his.

"Control yourself tonight," the man whispered with a smirk.

Yamamoto stood as he heard the door close behind him. For sure, the man saw his fangs already out.

"Hey," Tsuna nudged him out of his thoughts, "I'll prepare the bath; you can go in first,"

Before he could go, Yamamoto stopped him.

"Hey, was that a friend of your mom's?"

"Who? Reborn-san? No, he's my dad's. My dad's in Europe right now and he usually comes by to tell my mom how my dad is doing,"

"Oh,"

Tsuna smiled. "Don't worry. I know it seems like Reborn-san is a mean person, but he's not that bad,"

_Not that bad, huh?_ Was the Sawada household really close to Reborn? He let Tsuna go and went up to wait for him in his room to finish preparing. If Reborn came here to Tsuna's house, what did that mean? Reborn carried a mark similar to the silver rings but only more ancient - a pacifier, labeling him as one of the old ones. And wasn't his dad a priest? Yamamoto jumped from his seat in realization and looked around to see if there was anything that could kill him. As a priest, naturally he would set up traps, especially in his son's room. He looked under Tsuna's bed and in the corners of the room but there was nothing. Huh. Why weren't there any?

"Yamamoto," Tsuna walked in almost catching him in the act of rummaging through his room.

"Yeah?"

"The bath's ready,"

…...

* * *

Yamamoto lay in the futon awake. Reborn was here for some odd business; his dad was a priest who hadn't lain any traps to protect his family against any demonic threats; then there was that – the ring. The silver metal ring. The owner of this ring, Yamamoto turned to his side and tightened his face, was not a person he wanted to cross with. But what were they doing in Tsuna's room in the first place? Whatever he thought contradicted with what he knew. Maybe there was something more to this. He closed his eyes and listened to the brunette's breathing. He knew there was something special about Tsuna, but other than the scent he gives off, what? The brunette started to twist under his bed as if he heard his thoughts.

"Hmn," Tsuna murmured.

He started to turn under his sheets as if he was having a nightmare.

"Tsuna," Yamamoto tossed his blanket aside and got up.

In the dim light, he could still see everything. The boy lay curled, twisted under the covers of his bed. He was about to reach forward when another blast of the sweet scent pushed him back. _Tsuna! _He stumbled backwards. _What are you dreaming about?! _Yamamoto could see a smile plastered on the other boy's face. Not a nightmare but a sweet dream? Yamamoto's mouth twitched as his fangs started to grow in again.

"Nn!" he gritted his teeth.

Every time, he had to clench his jaw to try to get it to stop growing. He dragged himself to the opposite corner of the room and tried to muffle his breath. _Gotta... Restrain myself! _ He clutched his chest and let himself breath for only a slight moment. As soon as he drew in a new breath, the pain started to throb again. The pain he chose for himself hurt the most. Couldn't he just get a nibble of that rare delicacy right in front of him? The scent kept getting stronger and Yamamoto pushed himself against the corner even further. He lifted an ironic smile. That better be one good dream Tsuna's having because right now, he was living one of his worst nightmares and temptation was running loose in his veins.

"Why not just do it?"

Yamamoto shot open his eyes.

"You," he breathed.

A figure sitting by the window laughed as they saw his angry yellow eyes; they were like two shining globes in the dark. When did they get in? He yelled at himself for being so careless.

"Such a sorry sight – you sweating and panting just to refrain yourself from taking a taste. And for what? I won't tell. Go ahead, have a bite,"

"What are you trying to do?" Yamamoto growled.

A ringing laughter filled the room.

"Scary," the person teased.

"What do you want with Tsuna?"

"What any one wants," the figure slowly got up from the window sill and took a step inside the bedroom, "What anyone of us would want. Just a little taste,"

Yamamoto shot up from the floor and threw himself at the intruder. It was like in slow motion as they stayed in mid air.

"Just a bite," they whispered.

Yamamoto tightened his grip and they both went out the window.

…...

* * *

Tsuna woke up before his alarm.

"Yamamoto?!"

The first word of the day slipped from his mouth as he saw his friend was gone. Did he go home? He ran downstairs to see if he was still there but there was no one. He went into the kitchen and saw his mom preparing breakfast.

"Mom, did Yamamoto leave already?"

"Hm?" she turned from the pan, "I don't think I've seen him yet. Is he not here anymore?"

Tsuna scratched his head, "I don't think so. I guess he must've left early,"

Nana flipped the pan and scraped the last of the pancakes on a plate.

"I guess I've made too much then," she set the plate in front Tsuna, "eat up and get ready; you'll probably see him at school,"

The brunette sat down and grabbed a fork. _I guess I'll see him there. _But why didn't he wake him to tell him he was going? He stabbed the pancake and took a bite. It felt good in his mouth as the warmth filled his tongue. Good food, good dream, so today should be a good day too, right? Tsuna quickly finished eating and got dressed. As he folded the futon he laid out for Yamamoto, he found the boy's bag right near his desk. Didn't he take it with him? He must've forgot. A sudden cold draft went in and he went to close the window. Yamamoto will just have to come by after school again. Tsuna closed his bedroom and headed out the door.

"Bye mom!" he called out as he left the house.

…...

* * *

Giotto entered the building with papers in his hand. He like getting to school early, the air still had a light mist clinging to it. As he went down the hallway to the Comittee's meeting room, he heard noises. He hurried down the corridor and saw the two coldest people in the school having a stare down – the head of the Disciplinary Committee and the VP of the Student Body.

…...

* * *

Yamamoto staggered the dark hallways of Namimori. He was careful not to leave a trail of blood as he covered the gash across his side with his arm. _The office. Where was their office? _He made a turn in the familiar halls and twisted the knob of one of the rooms. _It's open? _He didn't actually think he'd be able to go in but guessed luck was still on his side – something to be happy about. He opened the door and stepped inside. His left leg couldn't take it anymore and he collapsed, luckily falling on a long black sofa.

"Hmn!" he winced in pain as the open cuts on his back rubbed against the furniture.

His whole body ached and he tensed his muscles trying not to move. He breathed slowly and gently put his arms down at his sides. Since when did the Student Comittee get a black sofa? Wasn't it a coffee color? Hope they wouldn't get mad if his blood stained. He closed his eyes and in what seemed like moments, the room turned from black to light gray and the door opened.

"What are you doing in my office?" an annoyed voice woke him up.

He pushed against the sofa to lift him up and saw not an annoyed blond, but a pissed dark haired boy with menacing purple eyes glaring at him.

"Move," he busted out a tonfa from underneath his black jacket.

"Oops," Yamamoto gave a bright smile, "wrong room?"

…...

* * *

"Hibari!" the voice yelled out.

Giotto figured it was an early delinquent cleaning the head of the Disciplinary Committee was taking but found out it was one of the "normal" students. The beaten dark haired boy leaned against Alaude as the prefect threw him at the vp.

"Keep your things out of my office," Hibari glared at the tall blond.

The two locked stares for a moment when Alaude tossed the dark haired boy aside.

"He's not mine,"

"Alaude!" Giotto hurried to catch the poor boy.

The student stumbled in his arms and he tried to help him stand up. There were clotted wounds all over his body and freshly made new ones, probably from the prefect over there. Giotto looked at the Disciplinary head only to receive a look back. As soon as he saw everything was resolved, Hibari walked into his office and closed the door shut.

"Help me take him to the infirmary," he looked to Alaude.

The blond looked at him the same way the prefect did.

"Please," he added.

With a blank face, the vp placed the beaten boy's arm around his shoulder as Giotto took the other. Giotto was about to say something – _like I said, you are easily satisfied with me –_ but kept his mouth shut and just kept a smug smile. Alaude looked over and he turned away trying to hide his new found pride.

…...

* * *

They tried to get to the infirmary as soon as possible to avoid any early students and rushed the student to a bed.

"What is it?" the nurse turned from his desk to see students entering his room.

He watched them put the student down and walked over. _A boy? _He took the cigarettes between his fingers and inhaled it as he looked to see who brought the patient in. _Three boys. _He breathed out the smoke disappointed.

"You know I can't treat him," Shamal turned to the boy he recognized as the president of the Student Body.

"I know," the spiky blond nodded, "but can you just let him rest here?"

"Sure, but he better not make to much noise though,"

The male nurse walked away and went back to his seat murmuring about how he wanted a female student once in a while. Why was it always guys?

Giotto looked back down and studied the beaten face of the student they just carried. His spiky black hair and yellow eyes hit his memory.

"Yamamoto?"

"Sempai," the boy greeted.

"What happened to you?"

The cheerful student's expression became solemn. He tried to sit up but winced back down from the pain.

"You should rest," he placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him from moving, "you can tell me later,"

On cue, the school bell rang. Ding... Dong... Dong... His hand slipped away from his shoulder.

"I'll stop by during break,"

"Wait!" Yamamoto reached out and grabbed Giotto's hand, "You're missing something, right?"

The spiky blond stopped to look at him as he returned the look, eyes searching for any hint of confession. His bruised fingers slid down his naked hand as Yamamoto reached in his pocket. A silver metal ring glittered as he held it out in the open.

"This is your ring, right, Giotto-sempai?"


	2. Altar Boys

A/N: Just switching to this format. I think it's really clean :P And again, enjoy~

* * *

**~Sweetness~**

**Chapter 2 - Altar Boys**

* * *

"_Haaah... Haaahhh..."_

_Who was breathing so hard? _

"_Haaah... Haaaaahhhhh..."_

_Damn! Who was – No._

"_Haaahhh... Haaaahhhh... Haaaahhhhh..."_

_It was just him. It was him who was breathing so hard. Mhmn. There was a burning sensation in his chest. Mhn... A cool liquid streaming and staining his lips. And hands. There were thin hands clawing against his shoulders. Mhmn! He couldn't keep himself from sinking his lips deeper, deeper. Deeper into that soft crevasse his lips were caressing! _

"_Daemon," _

_Mhmn. What was that sound?_

"_Daemon," _

_His brows tensed as the noise got louder. Who was calling him? He opened his eyes and saw a blur of colors. His breathing kept heavy as he saw a small shoulder pushing against his face; the bare skin smooth and... How would you call it – lovely? He felt himself move and explore the body he was holding and saw his hands brush through brown strands of hair. Who was this? This familiar body? He knew this! This person..._

"Daemon!"

His eyes shot open.

"Wake up!" someone pushed his shoulder too roughly.

His chest heaved up and down as the white fluorescent lights above him started to make shape. What? He looked this way and that and saw himself in a white room; cabinets with glass windows and white beds surrounded him. As he met real light streaming from the window, he jerked his head away.

"Ugh!" he sat himself up from the white bed.

Did he fall asleep? He held his temples tightly to ease a throb. And way to wake up with a killer headache!

"Tch! Get up already!"

A nasty blond glared at him; his animalistic features twisted in annoyance.

"Do you really talk to your sempai that way?" he raised a brow at the younger student.

The masculine, girly thing Ken got on with the pins in his hair confused him; it was hard to be mad at him when it was kind of cute. Daemon sighed, staring blankly at the delinquent standing over him.

"Didn't you here me?! Get up -"

Ken froze as Daemon absently reached out his hand and touched his face feeling the strands of his hair. _It felt like this. _The hair he was touching just a few seconds ago felt so real. He wormed his fingers deeper into the blond's hair. Was it really just a dream?

"Get the hell off me, byon!" Ken smacked his hand away.

The boy's cheeks started to turn red and Daemon smiled. Ken glared at him and his hand jerked.

"Aaaggghhhh!"

There was a blur as the delinquent came at him with his claws but he blocked it just in time. He gripped the boy's wrist as Ken tried to overpower him, grunting and trying to push forward.

"Are you trying to greet me with an after-nap exercise?" he looked seriously at the blond's eyes, "You know I like it rough,"

The boy's mouth almost dropped as he got what he meant, and a smirk ran over Daemon's face. He let out a ringing laughter as he pulled the younger boy closer and tousled him onto the bed.

"Agh!" the boy's scream was full of fear this time.

He could feel the boy try to kick and struggle under him when a hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him off.

"You're seriously drunk,"

The person made him roll over to the side as the blond hurriedly jumped off the bed away from him. He let out a disappointed sigh as he sat himself up again. Why did someone have to ruin the fun? He looked over his shoulder and he saw the dark purple pineapple hair beside him. The suddenly serious mismatched eyes, it was just as he expected – it was Mukuro.

"Relax, Ken," he saw his younger brother turn to the blond delinquent, "my brother may be a stupid player, but he knows not to mess with things that are mine,"

It was quick, but a murderous aura seeped out as Mukuro glared at him.

The blond panted heavily and looked at Mukuro and onto him. Daemon smiled as their eyes met and the boy growled. He liked the tousled look of his uniform too (in addition to the masculine/ girly thing he had on); his eyes ran down Ken's crumpled shirt and open gakuran.

"Hn!" the boy noticed and quickly closed his jacket.

Mukuro shoved his arm and scolded him. "Stop,"

Daemon gave a laugh which just made the blond angrier, his face turning red to match the scar across his nose.

"I can't let you stay in this room alone with this guy!" he yelled pointing to him, "Mukuro-san, let me kill him!"

"Hah...," his brother gave a sigh. "It's fine, just let this idiot be,"

The blond refused and kept glaring at him, untrusting. Jeez, was he really that bad? He wasn't going to do anything to his own _brother. _The thought of touching Mukuro's skin with his fangs almost made him gag.

"Go," his brother ordered, "Chikusa's waiting downstairs,"

Ken hesitated for a moment but let his glare go and headed out the room.

"Tch," he spat before disappearing out the door.

As soon as he was out, Daemon lost it.

"Nufufufufu!," he couldn't help but laugh; for a moment, he really did want to bite that blondie.

"You're such a beast," Mukuro turned to him.

"Not much different from you," Daemon countered. "You have the same blood lust as me,"

There was silence as his brother smiled.

See? He didn't deny it.

"Where were you last night?"

"Oh?" he raised his brows, "you're worried about me?"

For the first time, he noticed how sore he was. Daemon looked at himself and saw that his clothes were in tatters. He was covered in dirt all over, and the right sleeve from his gray sweater was completely gone exposing his bruised skin. Black and blue spots covered his whole body and there was a big one smack on his cheek. He softly touched the swollen spot with his fingers.

"Fufufufu," it was his brother's turn to laugh, "Were you beaten with a baseball bat?"

He flinched and his brother laughed even more. Damn brat from last night actually had a bat with him.

"I couldn't care less about what happens to you. I just want to know if you were going after _that."_

_That?_ Memories of his late night escapades filled his chest. Of course he was going after that. It was time, after all, to have the hunt after Namimori's secret and expose it – expose it to his fangs and taste the precious, sweet blood running down from his lips and down into his chest.

"I'm telling you," Mukuro spoke up feeling Daemon's blood lust starting to surface, "that it's going to be _me _who gets to taste it first,"

Daemon looked up and they froze into an alpha male stare.

"Hmph," a smirk appeared on both of their faces.

Really now? His brother's challenging him? Mukuro was still a little kid in diapers; his words are merely words, not a challenge at all.

"Don't say things you can't hold," he smirked.

"Oh?" his brother folded his arms, "says the guy who can't even beat me in basketball. Two years, and I already replaced you as team captain,"

Daemon scoffed. What irrelevant thing was Mukuro bringing up?

"You forgot," his brother gave an irritatingly haughty smile, "we have a game today,"

"A game?!" Daemon jumped of the bed, "What are you talking about?!"

"That's why I had Ken wake you up (before you attacked him). We're playing Shinsei Namimori today at the start of fifth period – a home game,"

Ding. Dong. Dong. Daemon's lips parted as he heard the bell.

"Lunch just ended," Mukuro eyed his panicked expression, "You better get ready,"

He flashed another haughty smile before he left so it could linger in his mind. This kid. Sometimes, his brother could be a brat. He sat back down on the bed and let out a sigh. Heh.

Thoughts of regret started to claw at him. Word must've gotten out about what he did last night. He cast his eyes down and looked at his palms; they were starting to sweat. Maybe it was a mistake to attack the night before he was going to face off Namimori's basketball team?

His hand jerked into a fist. No. He shook the doubtful feelings away. They were coming over here – to their school. His turf.

…...

* * *

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

Gossips passed on from voice to voice as he walked through the hallways and into the classroom.

"Someone broke in to Hamada's house,"

"What?!"

"Yeah! That's why he's not here today! I heard he had to go the hospital,"

"Didn't they say he had gashes on his neck?"

"Yeah, like someone clawed him there,"

"That's sick!"

"You know, I heard that all the other students that have been missing lately all went to the hospital too because they were attacked,"

"With cuts all over their body?"

"Probably,"

"I heard that they were all found almost dying. Koneda saw it. She told me she found her sister curled up on the bed in the morning with cuts all over her body. When she went over to wake her, her sister's eyes were rolled all the way back like someone sucked the life out of her! Koneda yelled so loud that her parents had to run upstairs, and when they saw it too, they all started screaming,"

"No!" a girl gasped. "Isn't that Suzuki?! I know her! Is she okay?!"

"I don't know, but the creepy thing was, her sister wasn't bleeding even though she had open cuts. There was no blood on the floor or on the bed, but the doctor told them it was so bad, it's as if her blood was run dry,"

"Ugh!"

"I heard the same thing happen to Sato! He had to be taken to the hospital a few days ago because he wouldn't wake up. I heard from his brother that they said he was anemic, but is that what really happened?!"

"Then Oshiro too! He was sent to the hospital just this morning! I saw it!"

A crease attacked Giotto's face as he heard all the morbid whispers. It's got to be one sick person to be doing all these horrible things. What's worse is that all these incidents seem like they were targeting Namimori's students! There weren't any news about it, only whispers in school. There had to be some meaning to breaking into students' rooms at night; but why did they attack them? Brutally too. The corner of his mouth twisted.

Gashes. Gashes was it? Flashes of Yamamoto ran through his head. He had to personally bandage the boy himself since the school nurse wouldn't even touch him, and he saw them – the cuts. There was a deep flesh wound cutting across from the edge of his collarbone all the way down under his belly button.

More worries – Giotto had immediately recognized them. The type of cut was clean with a distinct jagged pattern. He closed his eyes praying it wasn't the person he thought it was. The break-in into houses, the excessive cuts... This incident happened before. His suspicion only steadied as the words slipped out of their mouths. _As if their blood was run dry. _This can't be happening again!

"Oomf!" his thoughts flew away as he stumbled back.

The papers in his hands dropped from his hands and scattered on the floor.

"I-I'm sorry!"

Giotto quickly bent down and tried to gather back all his things into a pile.

"Sorry,"

He looked up and and grabbed the piece of paper laying on top of a student's head.

"Sorry," the boy said again.

His brows raised as he saw the familiar face. The boy looked meekly back up at him as he too tried to collect all the fallen pieces of paper. A smile drew on his face.

"Stop apologizing already," he lightly tapped the boy's head, "Tsuna,"

The boy blushed at the call of his name; he was still the same.

"Are you okay?"he took the brunette's hand and helped him up.

"Yeah," the boy nodded. "Here," he held out a stack of papers messily stuck together.

Giotto took it from him but he couldn't help but stare at the small boy. With all the troubles around them, Tsuna could still be his normal self. How was that? Was he just oblivious about it?

"What?" Tsuna noticed that he was looking at him a little too long.

No. It was just him thinking too much.

"Do you have time?" he asked.

The look in the boy's big brown eyes was full of surprise.

"Hm? Sure. What for?"

"Just to keep me company," he smiled, "Don't you want to spend time with me anymore? Or have you already stopped wanting to see me?"

"No!" Tsuna burst out. Giotto almost laughed at his panic, "I still want to be with you! I always want to be with you!"

"Are you sure you won't get in trouble if you skip class?" he teased.

The boy shook his head, "We were given self study since our teacher hasn't come back yet, and Alaude-sempai doesn't take roll when we go to the library,"

"Alaude? Are you sure he won't get mad?" Giotto just couldn't stop.

A frightened chill went down Tsuna's spine as he thought about it. His lips parted as he looked down; after a second, he looked back up.

"No,"

He looked so scared! Giotto patted his head to comfort him. It was good to see that Tsuna still wanted to be with him.

…...

* * *

His face was so hot. They headed to the Student Body's office and the whole time, he couldn't control his face. It's been a while since he seen him and he was probably red right now, he knew, but why would Giotto ask that? Of course he wanted to be with him! Whatever chance he got, he always took it.

They used to always be with each other when they were younger and came over to each other's house a lot, but it sounded as if Giotto seemed really disappointed they didn't see each other as much when it was _him_ that drifted apart after he suddenly decided to drop going to his father's church. Once they started attending different schools, it was as if they cut ties completely. Nowadays, it was just him and Yamamoto, and he wasn't even here today. Like Giotto did, he left without saying anything.

"Tsuna"

He looked up from the couch to the spiky blond at his desk.

"What's wrong? You seem like your in pain,"

"Nothing," he looked away. He probably shouldn't tell him what he really thought.

He could hear Giotto sigh as he put down the stack of papers on his desk.

"You don't like this office much, do you?"

He didn't answer. _No_. All around him was this business like atmosphere set from all the furniture – glass coffee table, cabinets, even the plants, and the desk Giotto sat at. It all just reminded him that he and Giotto were leagues apart, that they were always apart. He suddenly heard him get up from his desk.

"Come on," he took Tsuna's hand and pulled him up from the sofa.

"Woah! Where are we going?!"

He stumbled behind the tall figure as the older boy loosened his tie.

"I'll show you that I haven't become a boring school puppet; I'm still the fun person you remember,"

…...

* * *

Fun? He didn't think he was a boring person! Where was he taking him? And what "fun" was Giotto talking about?!

He let the older boy lead him until they ended up in the basketball courts.

"What are we doing here?"

The older boy took off his jacket and set it on top of the bleachers.

"What was the first thing that I played with you when you were small?" he asked as he found a ball lying underneath the benches; a whole bag of basketballs were set aside there for the next P.E. class.

"Basketball,"

Tsuna remembered a younger Giotto. _That's right_, he snapped his head up and stared at the spiky blond. When he first came over, they went to the park! He even brought his own ball so they could play at the courts.

"_Like this," he could remember Giotto saying as he tried to teach him how to shoot a ball, "you have to flick your wrist like this,"_

A smile ran across the older boy's face; the same smile he could place from back then when he had come over to Giotto's middle school to watch his game. _Yeah_, Tsuna nodded remembering. They won that game too. Giotto used to be in the basketball team; he loved it. Heck, he was team captain back then!

"Do you remember what I thought you?" the older boy started to dribble the ball.

He still had that baller swagger in his movements. He was still good! Tsuna shyly stood his ground.

"Come on, Tsuna!" he smiled as he rushed towards him, twisted and laughed as he walked and dribbled backwards. "Play with me,"

He bit his lip as he looked at the older boy's smile. Now that was something he didn't see often. His foot moved on its own and before he realized, he was running and chasing after him.

"Hold on!" he shouted.

…...

* * *

"What do you mean he's not here?!"

"They said Oshiro had to be sent to the hospital this morning," one of the guys spoke up.

"Damn it!" Gokudera kicked the trash can to the floor. "What kind of captain is that?! We have a game with Kokuyo today!"

That was the team they faced in the regionals! They barely scrapped a win by two points; they needed their captain! He gritted his teeth as he seethed in anger.

"Calm down, Gokudera," their vice captain looked at him.

The vp's calm demeanor really pissed him off. How could Dino be calm at a time like this?!

"Mizutani and Kuroki are gone today too," Naito spoke up.

"The hell?!" he turned back to the rest of the team, "That means we're missing three of our starters!"

"We might have to forfeit," Dino looked at all of them solemnly. "We have six people missing in the team, we don't even have any reserves to fill in the empty spots,"

Gokudera cussed under his breath. Why was it that so many students were missing?! He remembered that stupid rumor about people being cut at night and being sent to the hospital and cussed even more.

Is that what was happening?! _I swear, if I find that asshole whose doing all this shit, I'm gonna send his face six feet down the dirt if we have to forfeit this game! _He looked around at all the faces of the team that was there.

Of course, he was the best player, even better than their captain, but his head was too hot to replace him. Plus, there were only four of them in total. Not enough to even start a game. But where they going to find replacements?! And they couldn't just get anyone; it had to be good players! This was Kokuyo they were talking about!

"Hey!"

"Slow down!"

Voices echoed from the other side of the basketball courts. Thud. Thud. Thud. The rhythmic dribbling was able to sound through. Someone was playing ball. The hot headed baller's brows wrinkled in curiosity and he started to walk over. Who was playing? He suddenly turned away from his teammates and rushed over to the other side of the fence.

"Gokudera!" one of them called out. "Where are you going?!"

He continued to run ignoring them. As he got to the other courts, there were only two guys playing – a tall spiky blond and a thin brunette.

"I'm just a beginner!" the smaller one called out.

The blond laughed as he jerked his hand and made him miss the ball.

"You can do it," he smiled as he held the ball even higher – unfair because the height difference wasn't enough.

The brunette pouted and jumped.

"Haaah!" he yelled as he smacked the ball.

The ball flew over to the ground and rolled to towards him. He held out his foot to stop the ball and picked it up.

"Sorry," Gokudera looked up to see the taller boy come over.

A natural frown formed on his face as he studied the guy in front of him. He didn't break a sweat even though they were running all over the courts just now.

"Hayato!" he could hear his teammates running over, "Why did you just go like that?!"

As they all caught up to him, the vice captain got his shoulder.

"Are you refusing to play with the team just because we're missing members? We could just ask people to help!"

He slowly turned to his teammate annoyed when another guy from the team spoke up.

"Hey! Aren't you Giotto Vongola?!"

"Huh?" the blond looked at them.

"Yeah! You are!" Julie suddenly got excited.

His teammate embarrassingly went up to him with an amazed face.

"Yes, that's my name,"

What was he so hyped up about? Gokudera looked back at the guy in front of him. Was this guy supposed to be famous? He looked more like one of the school's up tight role models. A total school boy.

"Didn't you use to play basketball back in middle school?!"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Wait, I remember!" another guy spoke up and walked up to the front next to Julie. It was Naito. "You used to be the team captain!"

The boy only gave a charismatic smile.

"Vice-captain! Vice-captain!" his teammate excitedly tapped Dino by the arm, "he used to play really well! All three years when he was the team captain, our middle school won the first place trophy every time!"

"Really?" the bronco looked at the spiky blond in amazement.

"It was the whole team that did their best," the guy tried to sound modest.

"Heh, you sound like a good captain. I'm Dino by the way. Dino Cavallone,"

"Giotto," the two shook hands.

"Do you still play?"

"Not really," he shook his head, "I joined another club. I'm part of the student body committee now,"

"Oh," Dino didn't hide his disappointment. "Well, do you know anyone that still plays? Some of our members our missing and we need to get people to fill in the spots so we can play our game today. From the sound of it, it'll be good if they were in your middle school basketball team,"

Both blonds laughed and a vein popped out of Gokudera's head.

"Actually, one of them still plays, although he only plays street basketball,"

"Oh, no, it's fine! It'll be great if he can come," Dino nodded, "Thanks. Can you call him over for us?"

"Yeah," the spiky blond took his phone out from his pocket.

"Are you sure _you _can't play?" Naito pouted butting in the conversation. It was obvious he left a lasting impression on him.

"No," the guy waved his hand as he waited for his phone, "I don't play any-"

"You can play!" Gokudera glared at him.

Everyone fell in silence as they all turned to him.

"Gokudera," Dino sternly called out his name to back off but again, he ignored him.

"You can play," he repeated. He threw the ball straight at the spiky blond's chest making him drop his phone. "Play me,"

Crack. The screen on his phone split as it hit the ground. The blond's school boy charm suddenly dissipated from his pretty boy face. That's right. Show your true colors.

"I'm sorry," the vice captain tried to apologize, "you don't have to play him,"

"No," the spiky blond cut him off, his voice flat, "I'll play him,"

…...

* * *

What was this? Tsuna couldn't keep his eyes away from Giotto. He really was still good! Did he lie about not playing anymore? Imagine if he did keep playing!

"He really is good," the person next to him noted absently.

Tsuna looked over to see the team vice captain immersed in the game too.

"Was he lying when he said he didn't play?" the long haired blond thought the same thing.

The baller looked over at him and smiled.

"You Giotto's friend?"

"Yeah," he nodded. For some reason, he stared at him funny.

"Do you play ball too?"

"Heh," Tsuna laughed, "No,"

If he didn't see earlier, he was horrible. Whatever Giotto had taught him back then, it didn't stick. The muscular teen looked at him suspiciously.

"You're not lying to me too, are you?"

"Huh?"

"Wooooot!" one of the team members called out. "Giotto-sempai really is great! Admit it, Gokudera!"

The cheery boy jumped from the bleachers as soon as the finishing basket was made – it was Giotto's.

"Woah, Hayato lost," the blond next to to him turned his attention to the court.

Dino followed the other boy and jumped from the bleachers and the rest of the team did the same as they ran to the court. Tsuna walked down following the crowd and came over as the silver haired boy fell to the floor in defeat.

"That was a good game," the spiky blond held out his hand.

As he got there, Tsuna's eyes immediately went over to Giotto. Even though that was a good intense half hour, he didn't look tired at all. His sleeves were rolled up, but there wasn't a single bead of sweat coming down his face. He patiently waited and stood there next to the silver haired hot head, but the baller only looked darkly down at the concrete floor. For a second, he looked like he was going to explode...

Explode in happiness!

"That was awesome!" the boy looked up with his eyes shinning; it looked as if someone stuffed diamonds in them. "You really are good!"

"Thanks," Giotto smiled.

"You have to come to today's game!" he clasped the spiky blond's hand, "You have to! With you, we can definitely beat Kokuyo's basketball team!"

The older boy gave an awkward smile, "No," he still insisted, "that was only a game,"

"But Giotto!" Dino supported his teammate, "You're really good! Gokudera's our best player, and you just beat him! You really should come! We need good players like you if we want to get in the regionals again!"

"But it's an away game isn't it? I have to stay for club activities,"

"But that's even better!" Gokudera's eyes were on fire now, "We can beat the pineapple brothers at their own turf! It'd be the ultimate win over them!"

"Pineapple brothers?" Giotto turned to Dino confused.

"He means Daemon Spade and Mukuro Rokudo," the vice-captain explained, "they're the stars of the other school's basketball team, and I have to say, they really are good,"

…...

* * *

His face suddenly got serious again as he heard the name, _Daemon Spade. _He was in the basketball team?!

"Please!" the boy called Naito clung to his arm making pleading faces. "We need you!"

"I'll go,"

"Please!"

"I'll go,"

"We really want – wait. You will?!"

"Yeah,"

"Awesome!" the boy jumped up and down. "Did you hear that Dino?!"

"Yeah, I heard," the older boy smiled.

"Now we're definitely gonna win today's game!"

Naito kept cheering as he fell deep into thought.

_Daemon Spade. _He needed to talk to him, but he didn't think his chance would come so soon. Playing him on the court was going to be as close as he was going to get to even exchange a word. That guy always seemed to slip under his nose whenever he wanted to say something but at the game, he wouldn't be able to get away.

"Giotto," someone tugged on his sleeve, "you were amazing,"

He looked down to see Tsuna smiling up at him.

"Thanks," he smiled back.

"It's a good thing we have extra jerseys," Dino cut in their moment, "I'll take them out from the lockers and give one to you before we get on the bus,"

"What time do we have to be here?"

"You should be at the front gates at about half an hour after lunch. Uhm, it's still third period... So that should be enough time to ask your friend if he can come, right?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "I'll ask him,"

"Oh, by the way," the vice-captain pointed to his hand, "no rings. You can't wear any accessories in the game since you can hurt someone. It's just the rules,"

Giotto looked at the gold metal round his finger.

"Well, see you later then," the long haired blond waved. "Let's go," he turned to his teammates and the rest of the guys followed.

As their loud voices faded away, Giotto kept looking down at his hand. The golden metal shined in his eyes as the sunlight pierced through the clouds as if mocking him. The ring seemed tighter as if choking him.

He can't... take off the ring. These were blood rings, and they were law. It was required they had this near them at all times.

"What's wrong?" Tsuna stepped in front of him to view his face.

"Hmn?"

A sudden idea popped into his head as he saw the brunette. He was going to complete two things off his list because of basketball. Thank you, Namimori basketball team.

"Hey, can you take care of my rings for me?" he slipped the two golden metal accessories off his hand.

"Rings? When did you have two?"

"When I decided to buy one for you,"

He grabbed Tsuna's hand and slipped them on his left ring and middle finger.

"Now you're married to me," Giotto smiled as he clasped his hands.

The boy's chocolate brown eyes grew huge. "That's not even funny as a joke!" he tried to pull away.

When he couldn't, he just turned his face away with cheeks turning red.

"I'm not joking," he spoke softly.

Tsuna looked back at him still unsure if he was kidding or not.

"You're supposed to always be with me, right?" he leaned over and kissed the boy's forehead.

"Y-yeah," the brunette's voice wavered.

"Then come to my game,"

"Your game?!" he pulled away again. Giotto pulled him back.

"Yeah, so you can watch me again. I like the way you look at me when I play,"

Giotto was speaking really serious words. He needed to. He's been waiting too long to do this, and everything around him was pushing him to do it. Tsuna blushed not knowing what to say. There was a soft sweetness that blew in the air that invaded Giotto's lungs. _Tsuna, _his mouth twitched and he immediately wrapped his arms around the small boy.

"Giotto?"

He snuggled his face deep into Tsuna's neck.

"Keep the rings," he let out. It was getting a little harder to speak.

"What are you talking about? Aren't they yours?"

"I told you, I bought one for you. Keep the ring on your ring finger,"

He could feel the heat radiating from the brunette's body as blood started to rush to his face. It was getting hot. He wrapped his arms even tighter around the boy as Tsuna clung onto his back.

"Why?" Tsuna's lips were at his ear.

"Because your mine now,"

_You're mine now..._

…_..._

* * *

"Agh!"

Yamamoto suddenly shot his eyes open and sat up. A bead of sweat ran down his cheek as he clutched onto the bed sheets.

What was that? The sweet exotic scent waifed in the air. It smelled like... Tsuna.

Tsuna! He thrust his feet off the bed. Was something happening to him?! A hand grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back down.

"Easy," a calm voice tried to settle him down.

The voice might have been soothing, but the hand was completely uncomfortably solid as they held him down. He shifted his eyes to look back up at the upperclassman that was set to watch him. The mature pale face remained serene as the teen watched the I.V. bag.

"Don't move too much. You're still getting a blood transfusion for all your injuries," Asari made sure that the I.V. line didn't move.

"Sempai," he called out. "I need to go somewhere,"

"You can't. Not until you finish here. You've lost a lot of blood from last night,"

Yamamoto tried to look around but there were no windows to gauge the the amount of light still shining out.

"What time is it?"

Ding. Dong. Dong. The school bell rang before the older teen could answer.

"School just ended,"

The dark haired teen pushed himself back up again.

"Sempai, I need to go!"

He ripped off the the I.V. before Asari could stop him.

"Yamamoto! Wait!" his upperclassman yelled out. The sound of his voice made the nerves in the dark haired teen's body freeze.

Damn the power of the elites! The yellow eyed teen refused to look back as he begged every fiber of his being to move. He closed his eyes in frustration when a slim hand tapped his back.

"Agh!" the older boy set him on his knees.

"You know that you won't be able to control yourself if you don't have enough blood, right?"

Yamamoto bit his lip.

"I know... I know. But I have to go,"

* * *

**I can't tell you guys how many drafts I did in this thing! Haha. **

**Well, anyway, there you guys go :3 There'll be more 8027 in the next chapie :D  
**


	3. It's Game!

A:N: By the way, feel free to make any suggestions for any future chapters :)

* * *

**~Sweetness~**

**Chapter 3 - It's Game!**

* * *

"_This is yours, right, Giotto-sempai?"_

_His upperclassman gave him a blank stare. The honey colored eyes ran down his face and onto his hand where the silver ring lay. _

_He suddenly got the urge to close his palms and hide the thing away._

"_Yamamoto," the blond's voice sent a chill through his spine. "I was looking for this,"_

_A prickly current stung him as Giotto took the small object; the pure blood's skin felt like ice as they touched. _

_No... _

His eyes were glued down as he watched the pale hand reach over.

_No!_

"_Giotto-sempai!" he suddenly called out snapping his arm away. _

_Their hands accidentally hit each other and the silver ring flew in the air. The dark haired teen's breath stopped as the small piece of metal hit the floor and spun on the ground. A high pitched screech echoed in the moment as it finally stopped still. _

"_Sempai..." his eyes grew wide. _

_He looked up realizing what he had done. As he met the cold hard face of the elite, fear started to settle in the pit of his stomach. _

"_Alaude!" Shamal's voice rose in the back as the man stumbled out of his seat. _

_Thud! Something hit the wall._

_The freshman was unable to tear away from the Italian's eyes, but he didn't have to look to know that the man was wrestling the other upperclassman against the wall. If the school nurse wasn't there to refrain him, he would've been pounded to the ground by the vp already. _

_Yamamoto's lip twitched knowing what he had to do. He slowly pushed himself out of bed still wary of the unmoving pure blood before him. _

"_Yamamoto," Giotto began to speak as he forced himself to walk, "do you know what the purpose of these rings are?" _

_The injured teen bent down to pick up the fallen ring on the ground. _

"_They're to distinguish the humans from the ones with the dark blood," he answered, "Only those with rings have sworn loyalty under the arcobaleno oath engraved in the special metal to try and live peacefully within the rest of society," _

_Yamamoto picked up the enchanted object and the stone reflected under the room's artificial light. _

"_And the stone..." the glass glittered, "The stone is formed when the wearer's blood drips onto the metal and solidifies on the ring to form a jewel. It acts as a blood contract to bind us demons to their word. If we break it, we break it with our lives," _

_A pang of pain hit his side as he got up and trudged back to the older teen. The pain quickly got too much with every step and he fell to his knees right in front of the spiky blond. In just a few seconds, he was reduced to all fours. _

_The sight of the older boy's black shoes was too shameful for him to bring his eyes back up. _

"_Asari told you well," the blond looked down at him, "but that's not all the blood stone is for. You're in high school now, so has Asari told you? The other reason we use them for?" _

"_Other reason?" The dark haired teen bit his lip._

"_It's not only used to keep us from sin, but to also to lead us to sin," a smile drew on the older boy's face erasing the cold choking atmosphere. _

"_When two people of the dark blood submit to one another, they exchange rings to prove that they have already given their selves to another. It's a different type of contract. Each one has a different color stone that forms when their blood is encrusted on the ring to signify that the specific ring belongs to its original owner. Wearing someone else's color means that you have been taken,"_

"_But the stone represents your life!" Yamamoto couldn't help but interrupt. The new concept was too radical to accept immediately. " If it's taken from you and destroyed, then-"_

"_You die," Giotto finished for him. _

_The younger boy grew quiet. _

"_But that's why the exchange is so significant. You entrust someone with your life. You give every part of you to that person knowing full well that they won't let anything bad happen to you. Meanwhile, they live on with the burden of protecting you in every single second of their life as they carry your judgment in their hands. _

_See, it's not the ones that hate you that will kill you. It's the ones that love you," _

_The blond's eyes had gone soft as he spoke. Still, Yamamoto couldn't understand what he was saying. Love? What did have to do with anything?_

"_Yamamoto," Giotto ordered, "look up."_

_The older boy's hands cradled his face and lifted it up forcing him to make eye contact. _

_His skin – still ice cold, Yamamoto thought. _

_He could feel something hard as the hand rubbed on his face. He looked to the side and saw a golden metal ring wrapped around Giotto's finger. What the?! Wasn't he holding his sempai's ring in his hand?!_

"_That's not my ring," the blond let out reading his thoughts. _

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I have someone that I want to submit to me," the hold on Yamamoto's face slowly got tighter, "and that ring that you have is something that I made years ago. It belongs to someone else now,"_

"_But Tsuna," the injured teen's face crumpled confused, "it was in Tsuna's room,"_

_If it was Giotto's ring, then shouldn't Alaude be the one to have it?! The boy's eyes shifted to the door where the platinum blond teen was being pushed against the wall. _

"_Yamamoto," the elite called his attention back. _

_The boy's bewildered eyes went back to the honey colored ones up above him. _

"_You don't have to hang around with Tsuna anymore. You've been released of your duty of watching over him. I will look over it myself,"_

"_But!-"_

"_I will take the responsibility of taking him from now on," _

…_..._

* * *

That was odd. Giotto wasn't in the student body office or the library. Usually, he'd be taking care of some of his duties, but he was nowhere to be found. He rummaged through the president's desk hoping he wouldn't mind; he really needed that form right now. As soon as he touched the huge stack of papers on the table, his phone rang. _Giotto. _

"Hello?" he answered stopping what he was doing. It's like he had ESP that he knew he was touching his stuff.

"G, I need a favor,"

"What do you need?" the red head kept his eyes on the unknown files on the desk.

"How good is your leg?"

"My leg? It's fine, why do you ask?"

"Can you run properly?"

"Yeah. The cut's not that bad. I think it healed already," G suddenly became self conscious of the slight injury. "Do you need me to-,"

"No," Giotto quickly cut him off. "I need you to play basketball,"

"Basketball?" he raised his brows confused. "Are you... coming back?"

There was a strange silence over the phone.

"No," the other boy slowly answered, "It's a favor for the basketball team."

For a moment, G's hopes had risen. He was glad the spiky blond wasn't it the room with him so he couldn't see how disappointed he looked. His lids cast heavy as a tenderness mixed in with his eyes, his voice quiet.

"Just this once, we need to play," Giotto continued, "We're playing Kokuyo,"

"Kokuyo," the red head repeated trying to sound unbothered. "That's the team who placed second in the region,"

Apparently, the other boy had caught his feelings trying to hide it.

"G," he called out to him. G didn't answer. "We're playing Daemon,"

The red head's eyes suddenly grew wide. "Daemon?!"

"Yeah. I found out that he still plays. He and his brother are captain and vice-captain. But you still play, don't you?"

Yes, he still played, but Daemon? He couldn't help but get a little angry. There was no one else in the world that he didn't want to see.

"I know you don't want to see him," the Italian's voice tried to soothe his brewing anger, "but I need you. As my vice-captain,"

Old memories of their middle school days came nostalgically back at him. Giotto as captain, and him right by his side. He always had his back, no matter what. All the other guys in the team did but... The image of the pineapple haired boy in his head shattered.

What Daemon did was unforgivable! What he did to the team back then! G unconsciously tightened the grip on his phone. The right side of his face where he held his hand started to itch. As much as he lied to everyone saying that the mark on his face were tattoos, they were scars – burns from that time Daemon finally showed his true colors.

He was the only one there to see him loose his senses back then when he attacked. He knew he was always wild, but he wouldn't have imagined that the other boy had his sights at him. He should've known! He should've know that those innocent eyes were a lie. That Daemon only had sights for the taste for the finest blood. And G couldn't protect... Protect anyone...

…...

* * *

G stood there giving him a look.

"What's he doing here?" he turned to Giotto.

Tsuna looked at the older boy conscious that he wasn't there for any particular reason other than Giotto wanting him to come. Even Alaude looked at them funny when Giotto had asked to pull him out of class so he could come to the game.

"He's taking care of my rings," the spiky blond innocently smiled.

"Rings?"

"I-it's just for a little thing!" Tsuna stuttered. "He asked me to take care of it, but it's nothing really!"

The gaze of the red headed senior made it more uncomfortable. It was probably some lame excuse Giotto had made up and he just made it sound so much more weirder by trying to add to it. It was just that whole "you're married to me now," was getting to his head. He looked away as his ears turned pink.

"Oh, G-san," the vice-captain called out to the senior. "Are you wearing a ring too?" he looked down at the boy's hand, "rings aren't allowed during the game."

The red stone suddenly flickered in color for a moment as the tall blond told him to take it off. G looked at Giotto and down to Tsuna. Was he going to ask him to take care of his ring too? The red head tore his eyes away and took out his phone.

"Asari," he spoke up as the ringing stopped, "can you come to the front of the school? I need you to take something from me. No, I have to leave soon. Yeah,"

Tsuna watched as he talked on the phone and hang up.

"You guys are really particular about your rings, aren't you?" Dino joked. "What is that? Is it like a class ring or something?"

There was an awkward silence as neither seniors answered.

"Ah... Haha, sorry,"

The brunette almost felt bad for him. He would answer if he could, but he didn't know either. The blond scratched his neck trying to brush it off and turned to the team instead telling them to board the bus.

"Alright guys, it's almost time to go! Get on the bus and grab a seat!"

"Let's go," Giotto grabbed Tsuna's hand and pulled him to bus door.

Dino stood outside counting heads and was the last one to get on, except for G who kept outside waiting. A few minutes later, another senior came out at the gate and walked up to him.

"G," Asari called out, Tsuna had recognized him as part of the student committee when he looked out the window to peek, "what did you need?"

"Take care of this for me," the serious red head slipped the silver ring from his hand.

An unsettled look washed over the other boy's face. "Where are you going?" he looked the red head up and down at the white uniform.

"To a game. I can't wear it during the match,"

"Match?" the dark haired senior looked inside the bus and saw the white jerseys. "Basket... ball?"

His lips parted in confusion as he looked back to G.

"Yeah," for some reason he couldn't look Asari in the eyes. "We're going against Kokuyo. I'll be back by around five."

"G! We need to leave!" one of the guys yelled inside the bus.

The baller turned back slightly annoyed and headed towards the bus door forgetting to say goodbye to the guy he was talking to. The senior stood there, his eyes following the other as he walked away.

"I can't be there! I can't be there with you at your game!" Asari called out as he boarded. His brows folded in concern.

Concern? Or was it fear?

Whatever it was, Tsuna couldn't look away from the dark haired student staring from outside. G didn't speak and refused to look back outside as he sat down at the seat in front of him. He kept his head straight, the bus the started, and they left without another word.

…...

* * *

_Yamamoto... _

Tsuna looked out the window feeling guilty that they left just like that. Asari looked a lot like Yamamoto, their face and everything. And that expression the dark haired senior had looked a lot like Yamamoto's the other day when they were up in the P.E. field.

_I told you. Just look at me. _

That's what he had said, but he hadn't seen him all day. He wondered if Yamamoto was going to stop by at his house to pick up his stuff, but even then, he would miss him since he was going to get back late. Tsuna let out a worried groan and slumped back in his seat as they kept getting further and further away from Namimori.

"What's wrong?" Giotto pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Hm?" the brunette turned to the boy sitting next to him on the bus, "nothing. I was just thinking,"

"About?"

"Nothing important," he smiled.

The reason he hadn't worried about the optimistic teen was because he'd been distracted all day. All because of a certain Italian dragged him everywhere. His eyes fell down to his hand where the two golden pieces of metal wrapped around his fingers. Was it bad for his mind to be distracted by Giotto?

"Nothing important at all,"

…...

* * *

Duties – gone. Promises – unfulfilled. Giotto – warming up against the fresh meat he targeted and chose in the seat in back of him. Asari – upset?

There wasn't anything else he could do.

So now he's here.

In the bus to Kokuyo.

He leaned back in his seat, his arms folded as he sat thinking.

"Woah! G-sempai..." one of the boys sitting on the aisle across gazed at him. "I remember you too! Wow, this is so cool! It's like three years ago all over again! Members of the legendary basketball team back in middle school now fighting each other for the regionals! Ah! This is so cool!"

The boy smiled childishly as he tried to contain his excitement.

"What do you mean 'fighting each other'?" a long haired blond tapped the excited boy from behind.

"Huh?" he looked up. "Oh, that's right! Dino-san went to another school in Ikebukuro!"

"Yeah," the older boy smiled, "We didn't have a basketball team so we couldn't compete,"

"Well, Daemon was in the same basketball team as Giotto and G-sempai back in our school. They were really famous! I don't know why they split up though,"

"Eh?" Dino sounded disappointed. "Is it true that only you still play?" he turned to the scarred red head. Earlier, Giotto had mentioned only one other person from the old team was still active.

G looked at him and saw the exposed tattoos on the vice-captain's arms; his eyes turned sharp. _Someone who voluntarily marked theirselves..._

"Yeah," he nodded, "It's only me and Daemon that plays,"

"Hm~ It would've been nice if both you and Daemon came to Namimori instead of Kokuyo. Then we'd both have you in our team," the blond smiled.

G couldn't help but disagree. "No," he looked away, "It's good like this. I actually prefer it this way,"

"Oh? So you could compete with each other?"

Compete? No. He didn't want to _compete _with him.

"I've been wanting to go against him ever since he left,"

He could feel the eyes of the other team members in the bus as he spoke. It didn't matter if they didn't get it. He wanted to be in the court standing right in front of that beast, one on one. Like back then. The warm orange glow inside the gym was still engraved in his mind after all those years.

"It must've been sad to see a friend go, huh?" the blond Namimori baller sounded like he knew the pain, "It's just you and Daemon left on the floor. I hope you win,"

"Mhm," he nodded.

He wasn't going to lose a second time.

…...

* * *

All of the guys got off the bus as they finally arrived.

"Kokuyo High!" Julie let out as he jumped off to the floor, "We haven't been here in a while!"

They all hurried to the gym with an enthusiastic look. G purposely kept at the back so he could see everything but the view of Giotto with his arm around the short brown haired boy was kind of blocking the whole view. Why did he bring the boy with him? He didn't feel right. The boy could be attacked and he wouldn't be able to protect himself!

"What are you blushing for?!" a loud voice laughed as one of the Namimori players wrapped his arm around another member.

"I-I'm not!"

"It's just two people making out!"

"Hah," G sighed as he looked the other way.

…...

* * *

"The other players are coming soon," the coach finished giving a pep talk. "Don't miss your chance to crush those birds from Namimori!"

"Yes, Coach!"

The cheerleaders stretched as they waited for more of the audience to come. Chrome listened to the other girls bicker as she stretched her legs on the floor about who was a hotter blond – Dino Cavallone from Namimori or their own feisty Ken Joshima? The topic somehow seemed to come up a lot.

"Chrome," M. M. crept up behind her.

"Hm?" she looked and saw the head cheerleader frowning.

"Mukuro wants to see you outside,"

"Mukuro-san?" she tilted her head. What for? She nodded and got up.

"Don't keep playing with him!" the red head called from behind her as she left, "If you're just playing with him, you better leave! If I find out, I'll _make_ you leave!"

Chrome looked back as the heavy gym doors closed. Her threats somehow didn't scare her. In her head, M. M. just cared about their prized baller a lot. The eye patched girl wandered the hallway and looked around for the boy who called her. As she reached the stairs going down, a dark shadow came up behind her.

"Chrome," Mukuro whispered.

He tugged on her skirt making her turn around. She twisted her head to the dark haired boy as he slipped his hands against her waist. He leaned in close resting his chin on her shoulder, an expecting smile played on his face.

"Ah-" she barely managed to get a out word as he leaned in for a kiss. "Mukuro-san,"

The heat of her face set a blush across her cheeks as the boy slipped something on her fingers.

"Take care of it for me," he spoke in between breaths.

His hand covered hers to hide the two indigo colored stones on her fingers as they continued in the heat of the moment. This was the ritual before every game, and all she could do was nod as his soft lips began to engulf deeper into her. He suddenly began pushing against her, driving her back.

"Mhm! Mukuro-san!" she tried to get him to stop.

There were footsteps of people coming their way. What if people saw?! Her face started to burn.

"Haha! What are you blushing for?" a boy's voice rang in from down the stairs.

"I-I'm not!"

Their steps began to get louder. Agh! The other team! They're here! Chrome pushed the the boy off her when she suddenly fell back on someone.

"Ah," she turned around and saw the familiar white jersey of the the expecting team. "I'm sorry,"

The tall red head with marks on his face she bumped into looked at her and nodded. Woah. Did Namimori get a new member? Her eyes followed his back as she watched him get back to the rest of his team and enter the gym. She stood there for a moment when it slowly came to her that the game was going to start soon.

"Mukuro-san," she let out as she was about to follow them in. "Hm?"

She looked at the hand holding hers and saw that the baller next to her was frozen. His face sunk into a deep expression as he glared at the last person who just walked in the door.

…...

* * *

So that was Mukuro? He hadn't seen him since he was in sixth grade. He really grew. Hopefully he wouldn't be anything like his brother. G looked over to see if Giotto was bothered but he was just playing around with the brunette again.

"Aren't you going to wish me good luck?" Giotto turned to the shorter boy.

He leaned in for a kiss when Tsuna blocked his lips with his hand.

"After!" the boy blushed. He was too embarrassed to do it in public.

There was a subtle surprise in the older boy's face as the brunette actually stopped him but it gently washed away. The Italian grabbed Tsuna's hand and kissed it.

"After," he smiled.

A faint scent started to float in the air and G had to look away. He was getting embarrassed just watching! This is just what happens when you don't wear your ring right?!

…...

* * *

"Have you seen?" Mukuro walked back into the gym and turned to his brother sitting at the bench.

"Yeah," the older boy smiled. "I've seen,"

Mukuro followed his oddly excited stare to the tall red head at the other team. _The guy he saw earlier. _The two stared at the crowd until he saw another familiar face.

"Giotto and G," he quietly named his brother's old acquaintances back in middle school.

Mukuro had gone to a different middle school since Daemon had a stupid incident in his final year at the school he originally wanted to go to, so he decided to switch. Still, those two were guys he shouldn't dismiss. Their ranks were higher than his.

"Mukuro," Daemon called for his attention.

"What?"

"You haven't actually seen Namimori's sacred jewel, have you? Even though you say your going to have the first taste, you haven't gotten even a single idea who the person is, now do you?"

The cocky tone as the other boy looked down at him pissed him off.

"Look," Daemon pointed to the short spiky haired kid talking to Giotto. "That's the one that I want to feast on,"

A low grumble clawed up Mukuro's throat as he studied the "sacred treasure."

That? That's their prey? A confident smirk slid across his cheek. It was a little bunny rabbit! He didn't look like he was part of the basketball team, and he didn't even wear a jersey either.

Why did they even decide to bring him here if he was so special then? The selected elites of Namimori seemed overconfident. Did they think they weren't going to attack when they were intruding in their home base?

Something shined bright as the brunette moved his hand to get something one of their team members was giving him. Two bright lights. Mukuro squinted his eyes. Two bright lights? More like two golden rings!

His eyes widened from the number. Why two? Pain seeped in his right eye as he tried to scan the other team's players for any other pure bloods, but there was only the spiky blond.

"It looks Giotto already claimed him," he let out.

The only other explanation would be that they gave him his own ring.

"Oh?" his brother laughed. "Just because he has two measly rings doesn't mean anything. It's funny to see how inexperienced you are,"

"Inexperienced?!" Mukuro jerked his head. "I'm _very _experienced!"

The noise level of the room suddenly quieted down and he suddenly realized that he spoke a little too loud. Mukuro looked around and the guys started laughing with his brother. He glared at his stupid brother and shifted his gaze onto to Chrome who blushed as their eyes met.

"Rokudo!" their coach yelled, "We don't need to know what you do with your girlfriend! I don't give a bullock's arse how experienced you are! Respect your girlfriend!"

The guys laughed even louder.

"Dang, Mukuro!" they teased. "Mr. Experienced over here!"

The pineapple haired baller bit his lip. _Damn it! His brother could be such an ass!_

…_..._

* * *

"Yamamoto,"

He kept pushing forward and throwing his legs to take another step. He finally got out of the basement and up the stairs to the bike rack; he wasn't about to slow down and stop.

"Ngh!" his ankle suddenly snapped making him stumble and push down a whole rack. The clanging of metal rippled down the line of bikes as they hit the floor.

"You can't even walk," Asari leisurely walked behind him. "Why do you need to go anyway?"

He gritted his teeth and and pushed against the wreck below him to get up.

"I need to talk to Tsuna," he picked up the bike on top.

"He's with Giotto right now. There's no need to see him,"

The dark haired teen ignored the upperclassman's subtle warning and threw his leg over the bike seat.

"What are you going to do when you see him?" the senior folded his arms. Yamamoto just kicked up his bike stand with his foot. "Do you even know where he is?"

The younger boy kept his eyes forward not even bothering to look at his senior before answering. "I'm going, sem-"

Crash! Asari suddenly pushed him off the seat and down to the fallen bikes. Yamamoto didn't even know what was happening until his body tangled with a mess of metal, his arm scraping deep with a headlight.

"Ngh!" he grunted feeling the sting.

He kicked the bike crushing on top of him when a pale face suddenly pressed close centimeters from his own. His eyes grew wide as he met the cat-like, dark pupils of his senior.

"I'm telling you that you will not be able to talk to him even if you meet him. It will be useless for you to go and try,"

Somehow, an overbearing presence exuded from the handsome teen that told Yamamoto to not disobey him. A thin line formed against Asari's lips as he studied the younger boy.

"If you go against Giotto, you will not win,"

The dark haired teen tore his eyes away. _I know that! _He knew the Italian could kill him within seconds without him even realizing that he was dead. But this harassment wasn't helping him any! Asari refused to move, keeping him trapped against the fallen bike rack.

"Do you _still _want to go?" the upperclassman's breath blew against his cheeks.

"I need to see Tsuna," Yamamoto cast his eyes down, "I need to to see him,"

The sweet exotic scent tugged and played with his sense's memories. He had caught it waifing in the air just moments before he knocked from consciousness down at the basement, and the feeling as the scent slowly disappeared from him was maddening. It was like Tsuna physically slipped from his hands as he lost any trace of the brunette's essence.

Asari's voice almost became scolding as he tugged on the boy's injured arm. "Do you know consequence, Yamamoto?"

The thought of pain became too much.

The only consequence if he kept on going would be nothing. If he stopped trying right now, then... he wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that he'd be missing a chance.

If he lost Tsuna, if he lost the person he spent his life chasing after then... then... There was a stabbing pain deep in his chest that burned like acid.

"I don't. I don't know, but I don't want to know how it feels like to lose someone. I need to see him. I need to talk to Tsuna before I..." the younger teen didn't know how to continue. "I just don't want to know what loss is."

A sadness settled deep into the senior's eyes as Yamamoto spoke.

"Loss and sorrow is an experience everyone will experience as they grow," the older boy's tone returned to being soft.

He backed away from the younger teen and offered a hand to help him get up. As Yamamoto took it, Asari quickly jerked his fingers and dug onto his skin with almost a force to break his bones.

"Aaaaggghhh!" the dark haired teen let out a whelping yell.

What was he doing?!

His upperclassman quickly swung his hand in his mouth and brushed his thumb across Yamamoto's fangs.

"Ngh!" the boy pulled away clutching onto broken skin.

A hint of blood sent shocks of electricity across his tongue and Yamamoto suddenly regained himself. His senses became more alert and the cloak of fear shrouding his earlier judgment was blown away. A breath escaped him as he grew calmer and reexamined his hand. There were no scratch marks. It was completely clean. He looked back up to Asari.

"I'll take you to see him," the older boy jingled his car keys in his finger, "so you can see the grief you're going to experience. Tsuna wasn't yours to begin with, I hope you know that Yamamoto. He belongs to Giotto now, and none of us can change what has been decided for us. Maybe once you see him, you will accept that 'loss' you fear so much,"

The senior jerked his head signaling him to follow. As Yamamoto followed behind him, he couldn't help but see the unspoken burden weighing against the older boy's shoulders.

Loss...

It was a hard thing to swallow.

…_..._

* * *

"G," Daemon held an evil smirk as they lined up for the jump ball.

"Daemon," the other boy frowned.

"How nostalgic to see you again. I see your scars haven't gotten better,"

G's face started to burn again as the pineapple haired teen mentioned it. This guy just really knows how to piss people off. The red head glared at him.

"I heard you still play. Some of our guys see you at the courts we used to practice in sometime. How nice," a sarcastic tone hit him, "Were you planning to one day be beating me?"

The Namimori player just kept ignoring him; the two bent low ready to jump.

"Because it's not going to happen,"

"Ready?" the referee looked to both of them as they locked stares.

"Oh and by the way," Daemon squeezed in. "How's Asari?"

"Phweeettttt!"

The red head's eyes widened as the whistle blew. The Kokuyo baller laughed as he took off from the ground like a rocket reaching for the orange ball. G quickly regained himself and went after him.

"Ngh!" they both pushed at each other.

He might not be a pure blood, but he knew tactics, and basketball was still his game! Daemon took out his elbow and hit the other boy in the face.

"It's Kokuyo's ball!"

…...

* * *

Good luck. That's what he said but he might have just jinxed it.

"Oooo," Enma flinched as they hit Dino with another foul.

The tattooed baller slid across the floor and one of the jv members stood up by the sidelines.

"That's another foul! Take the other guy out already!"

The referee shook his head saying it was legal.

"Get another ref out here!" the junior member kept shouting.

Out in the court, Gokudera ran up to the man overseeing the whole game and grabbed his collar.

"Temme!" his threats kept going even after the guys pulled him off.

The team called for a time out as Tsuna looked up at the score board. Kokuyo was ten points ahead. The seniors gathered around near the bench with the jv to regroup.

"Calm down, Gokudera," Dino sighed with a hint of irritation. He grabbed his own shirt to wipe the sweat running down to his chin. "You guys too," he turned to the junior members, "this is another school. We have to respect them no matter what's going on. We're representing Namimori here,"

The younger members grew quiet as the long haired teen took another deep breath.

"They're fouling us up there," Julie spoke up. "And the referee doesn't even care,"

"He's just letting them beat us around!" Gokudera yelled.

"No," Dino shook his head, "they're making it so he doesn't see,"

"Then they're playing dirty!"

"Then we just have to do the same too," Giotto spoke up.

Naito looked at his idol confused. "You mean... Play dirty?!"

The spiky blond let out a deep breath. He could tell he was sort of breaking his image with Naito as a perfect role model, but he had to know he wasn't.

"Then, do you know how we could get around their plays?" Dino looked at him partly hopeful.

The Italian gave a nod.

"G and I know a play that can get through them, but we need an opening. No one else knows this, but both Mukuro and Daemon have bad eyesight. Their right eyes are pretty bad so going up against their side will give us a small advantage. They won't react as fast when we go to their right,"

"I don't think that'll be enough to get us through though," the tattooed teen kept a worried face, "it's not just the two of them that's good, they still have the rest of the team,"

The Italian gave them a confident smile. "We have our team too. We just have to work as a group to get the upper hand. G and I will take care of the brothers while you guys man the other members. Remember that Kokuyo's pretty fast so we have to keep passing to each other until one of us can make the shot. Gokudera, Julie,"

"Yeah?"

"What's up?"

"I want you to two to stay open as much as possible. Naito's a lot faster if he has to get away so he should be the one to distract the faster players. You two have better accuracy anyway, so if any of us gets trapped, we can rely on one of you to make the shot,"

"Mhm," the two boys nodded.

"And Dino," he turned to the battered blond. "You should switch with Naito on the bench to rest up for a bit,"

The other boy didn't like the sound of having to sit out but gave a reluctant nod. "Alright. I'll be counting on all of you then" The vice captain looked at all at his team members and wrapped his arm around their shoulders. "Go knock 'em dead, guys,"

"Hai!"

…...

* * *

This brat was quick! Chikusa elbowed the red head in the gut and grazed him hard enough in the shoulder to push him down.

"Naito!" one of his teammates shouted.

He took the chance of the distraction and passed the ball to one of his own teammates.

"Ken!" Chikusa threw the ball.

The boy smiled as the ball fell into his hands and immediately headed up to the other side of the court. The mischievous look in the blond's eyes meant he was going to show off – he was going for a dunk. One of the Namimori players saw through the play and hurried to catch up him.

"No you're not!" the boy with glasses sprinted to the basket.

As they reached Namimori's side, both took off at the same time.

"Aaggghhhh!" the taller boy stretched out his arms as he jumped to block the score.

…...

* * *

The other guy was tall, but that didn't mean anything when he was king of the air!

Swoosh! The net swayed as he got the ball in.

A wolfish smile engulfed his face as he pushed down from the rim and kneed the other boy in the face. Bam! Right on the eyes! A hard noise cracked as they both reached the ground.

"Hmph," Ken landed safely on his feet as he watched the other fall heavily on his arm.

Click. The scoreboard went up. Another point for Kokuyo.

"Agh!" the baller with the goatee started to roll on the ground. "My eyes! Argh!"

"Julie!" his teammates ran to him.

"Asshole! What did you do?!" a silver haired boy went up to the blond and grabbed his collar.

"I didn't do anything!" he smacked the boy's hand away. "Tch,"

"Get up," Giotto tried to sit the fallen boy up.

The player kept his hands on his face as a red liquid started to ooze out of the spaces between his fingers.

"Urgh!" he grunted as the spiky blond forcibly peeled his hands away, "my glasses... It freaking hurts!"

"It's alright, just let go,"

The Italian kept wrestling him when suddenly he froze; his honey colored eyes turning wide. A loud gasp caught his whole team as he revealed the boy's face.

"Julie..." Enma's face turned scared.

A piece of the lens poked deep into his left eye as it dented in from the frame. His palm had left a messy crimson smear at the upper left side of his brows and blood started to flow down to his cheek. His hand started shaking.

"H-how is it?"

No one dared answer.

Gokudera was the first one to act as he clenched his fists.

"You bastard!" the silver haired hot head jerked and swung at the blond again landing one right on his chin. "You did that on purpose!"

"Are you kidding?! Your friend's face got his face in the way!" Ken wiped his mouth and spat on the floor.

"To hell with you guys!"

Gokudera came at him again and a whole fight started.

…...

* * *

The two boys went at each other on the floor and Giotto rushed to get Gokudera off.

"Stop! Gokudera!" he pulled the younger boy off.

His junior threw his arms wildly and took a last kick at the other player in black as he was forced off. Giotto tried to calm him, but as soon as the Kokuyo blond was free, he immediately sprang back up and swung at the two players. His sharp nails almost grazed the Italian's neck as he backed away.

…...

* * *

The gym! Where was their school gym?!

"This way," Asari pulled on his arm.

They rushed up the stairs to another building as the sleek haired senior led the way. It seemed like he'd been here before as they smoothly swerved at every corner like there was a clearly drawn path on the floor. When they finally reached large heavy doors, Asari stopped in his tracks.

"Here," he turned to him. "This is the gym."

Yamamoto looked at the large entrance before him and back at the senior. He was waiting for Asari to go first, but the older boy didn't budge. His feet stayed planted on the ground and though his expressions remained calm, there was a hint of fear laying behind the pale face.

The younger teen gave a nod as he opened the door himself. A loud gasp escaped the room as he went in.

"Stop!" it sounded like Tsuna's voice.

…...

* * *

"Gokudera! Stop!" the blond tried to peel him off.

In the corner of his eye, he saw another member about to come and help jump Ken when Chikusa came up and blocked them.

"You jerks!" one of the Namimori jv members screamed from the bench. He hopped and ran to the commotion and the rest of the members followed him. "AAGGHHHHH!"

Daemon gave a heavy sigh as the horde of students with white jerseys came and joined the fight. Well... He was getting tired of this anyway.

"Hagh!" he ran up behind Giotto and knocked him on the head.

The spiky haired player fell down on the floor dizzy.

"Not so hot without your ring, huh?" he smiled.

The Italian's eyes remained clouded and he took the chance to trap him on the floors with his legs. His knee pressed heavily against Giotto's stomach as he grabbed his shirt and started wailing on him.

"Giotto!" G saw the sneak attack.

The loyal subordinate ran to his side but got tackled from his side.

"Urgh!" he gunted as he kicked off the other player who sent him to the ground. He rolled over and immediately pushed himself back up.

The red head glared at the other boy in the black basketball uniform as they both crouched ready to pounce on each other.

"You're not getting away from me," Mukuro's right eye seemed to glow like that of a cat's at night.

…...

* * *

His fist kept slamming and blanking him out.

"Rings," Daemon's voice was happy as he ranted. "That's the problem with you vampires. You seal away your powers in meaningless objects like rings. And what happens when it's gone? All your strength as a transcendental being is stripped away from you!"

Bam! Another hit. The blue haired player started laughing.

"Now your just another normal man. How does it feel?"

His self righteous talk gave him time to recollect himself and the Italian managed to take a swing at the other boy.

"Get off!" he yelled.

The blunt pain pressing against his stomach lifted as Daemon jumped off him. Giotto couldn't help the deep breaths fly out of his lungs as he tried to stand up. _Argh!_ No good! His sight wobbled as he tried to hold his head. Every step he took, it was like the floor was shaking from an earthquake. He couldn't keep up.

He hardened his pupils to stay focused but he was seeing triples. Why was Daemon so strong? He looked the confident baller up and down. He had no rings either. So how? How was it possible he could injure him so much?!

"What... what are you?"

"I don't have time to play," the Kokuyo ace smiled at the nonfunctional elite, "so I'll go right ahead and take what I was trying to steal last night. You can't stop me the way you are. I wonder how the little brunette would taste like,"

A quick dark stream flashed by him as Daemon disappeared.

"Tsuna!" he screamed.

…...

* * *

"Stop!" he screamed as all the junior members left his side and joined the fight.

Tsuna's face twisted in fear as everyone rushed from the sidelines and onto the court wailing on each other. What the heck was going on?!

"You damn Namimori assholes!"

Slam! Everyone was just decking each other just to lay a hit. But how about Katou?! His eye was still bleeding and he needed to get out of that blood fest! Tsuna got away from the bleachers in search of the injured boy.

"Julie!" he shouted his name. "Julie!"

"Right here!" a voice caught his attention from the side.

He looked over and saw one of their own players resting against the wall.

"Julie!" he ran up to him. He squatted down to his side and grabbed his arm. "A-are you alright?!" The sight of the still pouring blood petrified him. "We have to get you out of here,"

The taller boy still covered his bleeding eye with one hand as they tried to get up. He pulled the baller's other arm and placed it over his shoulder for extra support. But before they could take a step forward, there was a sharp scream as Giotto yelled his name.

"Tsuna!"

He jerked his head. A dark blur came at him faster than the speed of sound as a sonic boom deafened his ears.

Crack!

…...

* * *

Crack?

Something broke. The sound of his neck breaking made his heart skip a beat. A hard force sent him flying as his head lay limp. He couldn't make it move as it skidded across the gym floor. Snap! Something else fell loose as more pain gave birth to even more excruciating pain at his neck. He bounced to a stop as he hit the wall.

What the hell was that?

…...

* * *

What? A gasp escaped him as he couldn't even see what had happened.

"Yamamoto," he whispered his name in surprise as the boy stood in front of him.

A fierce look painted his face as as the dark haired boy barred his teeth in front of him. His friend bent low in a low protective crouch as if he was ready to pounce at the thing he just sent flying. For the first time, there was a frightening aura coming off from the usual happy teen.

"Yamamoto," Tsuna was still in shock, "what are you doing here?!"

Where did he even come from?! He just suddenly showed out of nowhere and saved him!

"Tsuna," the dark haired teen slowly stood up and reached his hand out in front of him. "Stay back,"

"Tsuna!"

The brunette turned away to see another person coming up to him. His disheveled uniform was a new look for the upstanding president.

Giotto ran up to him and grabbed his shoulders.

"You're okay?" he panted.

"Yeah, I'm fine,"

The Italian's face took a beating which made his face look even more exhausted. The weight on Tsuna's shoulders quickly became heavier and Giotto suddenly collapsed.

"Giotto!" Tsuna called out trying to keep the boy up with his one free hand.

He couldn't take the weight and all three boys fell to the floor. "Agh!" Tsuna took Julie down with him.

The spiky blond's unconscious body trapped his legs on the floor so he couldn't get up. The brunette couldn't push him off and Julie couldn't get anywhere unless someone guided him out of the ruckus on the court. They were now permanently stuck on the battle ground.

He could only look up to dark haired teen who suddenly appeared for help. His vision was confined so he could only see him from the back as he stood in front of them, but from down there, it seemed that his friend's shoulders were broader than he remembered. He seemed harder. Someone a little different.

"Tsuna," Yamamoto suddenly called out out to him.

"Y-yeah?"

"If you care about me, please take off your ring,"

"Huh?" he didn't know what to say. Where did that come from? "My ring? What do you mean?"

Yamamoto turned back. His eyes were glowing and the black in the middle narrowed into a barely visible slit.

"The one Giotto-sempai gave you. Please take it off,"

Tsuna only put on a confused face. Why would-?

"Please," he begged. The muscular teen's expression softened as he clenched his fist. "Please,"

Loud grotesque cracking of bones interrupted their conversation and they all snapped their heads to the guy at the wall. A blue haired baller wearing Kokuyo's basketball uniform slowly rose from the floor twisting his neck.

Crack. Crack. It was as if he had no support there at all.

"Sorry to interrupt, but you interrupted me," the boy rubbed his neck. "You fucking brats,"

The blood lust in his glare sent chills crawling down Tsuna's spine as he got tangled in Daemon's spell of anger.

"It's alright," a hand made him jump.

The frozen brunette looked up and saw the senior Yamamoto look-alike. His handsome face sent down a comforting smile as his hand rubbed the boy's shoulder.

"Asari-sempai,"

Why was he here as well?! Asari-sempai and Yamamoto?!

Even though the senior was calm, Tsuna couldn't help but feel as if Asari's heart was beating - beating fast even though he was just standing there. He could feel the frantic pulse travel through his long fingers. His skin seemed paler than it was when he saw him at the front gates too. Still, the senior looked forward at the creep who was glaring at them.

"Nufufufu," the pineapple haired baller started to laugh in hysterics, "Is Asari here too? What a reunion,"

Asari's grip on the Tsuna's shoulder tightened.

"Top grade blood right in front of me, is this a gift? Are you all coming to serve yourself in a silver platter right in front of me? Nufufufu. Ah... Blueberries..." he sighed happily, "but I already tasted you," Daemon looked past Yamamoto to the group in back of him.

"Pure bloods. The thing about pure bloods is that they give off a certain scent whenever they're ripe. Sweet. Entoxicating. Like they _want_ to be eaten. And they're so delicious too," he licked his lips. "The purer the blood, the sweeter they taste. Nufufufu! And there's a really sweet one that just turned right for eating,"

The Kokuyo baller directed his gaze right at Tsuna and he disappeared again.

"Argh!" Yamamoto let out a grunt as he disappeared too.

A sudden black clash appeared in the middle of the court and the two boys reappeared again punching each other. They kept repeating and repeating as Daemon finally got a grip on the other boy's sleeve and threw him aside to another person.

"What's wrong? You were so energetic yesterday!" the older boy teased as he clashed against an ordinary student.

Tsuna remained unable to move as he watched the beating.

"You can stop this," Asari whispered in his hear.

"What?" he looked up at his senior. "H-how?"

Everywhere around them was a whole mess of angry pissed off kids trying to gut each other. This was a riot!

Asari's eyes pierced at him like he was the last hope.

"Just say 'stop,'"

"I already told them to stop!" Tsuna looked at him lost.

The older boy grabbed his nervous hands and soothed them with his own.

"Not with me. You have to say it with me. There are a lot of things you can do, Tsuna. You just don't know it,"

His words kept him lost.

"You have me and Giotto,"

"But Giotto's unconscious,"

"Just as long as you have blood, it'll be okay,"

Blood? Daemon was talking about blood. But what the heck was he referring to when he said he tasted other people's blood? And he wanted to drink his too?!

Tsuna shifted his eyes away for a moment and looked at Yamamoto's fight. The blue haired student came at him again. Yamamoto tried to get him at the side but he easily dodged it and punched him on the face. Blood. A gush of blood flew from the dark haired teen's nose as Daemon landed another hit. Yamamoto was losing!

"If you want it to stop, just say it," Asari brought his attention back. The senior's slender fingers intertwined with his and clasped it tight. "Hold my hand and Giotto's, then say it. Command everything to stop,"

Tsuna bit his lip hesitating but reached for the Italian's limp hand; his skin still felt warm from all the fighting. As he slipped his fingers between the spaces of Giotto's hand, there was a hot bubbling feeling sizzling through his veins. It felt like a bubble full of warm water was coating the three of them as they connected. The yells of the angry students muffled away. He couldn't see anything but Giotto and Asari.

_Stop. _He could hear Asari's urging voice. _Stop. _His lips couldn't help but repeat it.

"Stop..."

_Louder._

"Stop."

_Louder._

"Stop!"

A prickling of electricity traveled from his lips and rippled throughout the room. He could see the ripple of blinding light, and as soon as everything was engulfed by it, there was a flash.

* * *

Tsuna closed his eyes and when he opened them again, every person in the court was frozen. He scanned the room disbelieving. Students were held in their position unmoving like they were stuffed with ice. Were they? Were they now ice sculptures? A glaze of reflective shine coated the students.

There was a kid from Kokuyo punching a Namimori student. A cheerleader was running out the door. A guy was stuck jumping in mid air as a another threw him. It was unreal. The brunette was going to get up to study them when a weight on his lap pulled him down. Giotto?

"Yamamoto," he looked down.

A battered teen groggily opened his eyes. "Tsuna," he smiled.

There was dry blood caked on his upper lip.

"You're okay," he was about to reach his injured face when Yamamoto grabbed his hand.

His yellow eyes landed on the two golden rings sitting on his fingers. Having one squeezing his left ring finger made it embarrassing.

The teen's rough fingers reached over to the yellow metal.

"Take it off," his voice was barely audible. "Please take it off,"

Tsuna sat still as the boy moved the rings on his own.

"Please,"

Yamamoto's hand dropped as he finally slipped it off his hand. A forceful ringing sound echoed the gym as the sacred metal hit the floor.

"Tsuna, I love you. So can't you take mine instead?"


	4. What I Am To You

A/N: Aww hecks guys :/ for some reason I was unhappy with this chapter guys :( i don't know why. I guess I was thinking of maybe getting a beta reader but I'm not sure yet. I was thinking of maybe posting this Friday but what the heck, I'll post it up tonight. (or this morning O_O) Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy!~

* * *

**~Sweetness~**

**Chapter 4 - What I Am To You**

* * *

Swoosh!

"Another point, another win. The first place middle school champs from last year strikes back again!"

The crowd grew wild as the commentator announced the winner. They were so good; they were the ultimate team. Drowning in the audience's screams, nothing could have compared to it. But that was yesterday, this is today. Now, they were at school again.

G smiled as they all looked at their shining trophy placed in the the hallway.

"That's us," Giotto turned to all of them as they glued their gazes onto the trophy case. "We did good, guys. We did good,"

All six of them couldn't help but smile in pride. They did do well! To take first place twice in a row, it was amazing!

They showed their teeth to their capable captain. It wasn't just because they were happy, it was also because Giotto had reached that age. He had been giving off the scent – the sweet scent; it was the temptation of the pure blood. It wasn't teeth they were letting him see, it was their fangs growing.

The platinum blond noticed all their goofy faces and he suddenly turned serious. Grabbing their captain's hand, he pulled him away from the others.

"Come on, we have to get to class,"

The Italian followed stumbling behind the peeved boy, but his sudden movements mixed the scent into the air even more; it went right up the rest of the guys' noses.

_Argh! _They covered their face. It was torture! As soon as the two blonds were a good distance away, G moved as any respectable best friend would.

"Stop smelling it, guys!" he waved his arms where the Italian had been.

It was bad. Even he was getting trapped in it!

He took a glance at the rest of the guys as they shyly turned their faces away. It was getting hard to be with Giotto like this! Their faces flushed red at the brief intoxication. It was even harder when their captain was happy because the scent got stronger whenever his emotions ran high.

Knuckles scratched his head. "Well, I guess we better get to class,"

"Yeah," Lampo agreed.

The two walked on ahead as G studied their postures. He had to make sure they were all properly controlling theirselves! Even himself.

He rubbed his neck trying to calm himself down. How about Asari and Daemon? Were they okay too?

"Hey, " he turned back to his remaining teammates.

To his surprise, neither of the two boys were covering their faces. The black haired student looked like nothing happened as he stood relaxed while the other stayed there with a smile on his face, a hand on his waist.

"Are you guys okay?" he looked at them.

"Yeah," they answered at the same time.

Daemon took a small glance at Japanese next to him before he started to walk away. "See you guys at class," he waved.

"Hmn," he gave a nod.

The way he said goodbye, the red head didn't like it. Something was off with that blue haired boy. G couldn't put his finger on it, but he was acting a bit suspiciously. He studied his back as he disappeared down the hallway trying to figure him out, but a sweet scent still entangled the vice-captain's brain.

Jeez, was Giotto that happy?! He tried shaking off the demonic seduction. His body was sure he couldn't smell the spiky blond anymore, but there was still an alarmingly strong smell lingering around. Giotto gave off a hot fragrance that pulled you in, but this wasn't it. This wasn't the tug he got from before, or was it? The confused child couldn't tell anymore; he gave up trying to figure out pure bloods long ago. He brushed it off and started down the hall.

No, Definitely no. G stopped walking. His intuition was nagging him to get it right. Right now, he smelled something lighter. Something fresher, not warm. It wasn't as forceful as the captain's, it was a welcoming scent that left the door open for you to grab it instead. It was something a little like...

"Blueberries," the right word slipped from his mouth. Yeah, that sounded like it fit.

He didn't know why, but he turned back to Asari like he figured out the answer to life.

"You smell like blueberries,"

The other boy stared at him blankly expecting him to continue. It was the only two of them standing in the hallway as it hit the young vice-captain. He blinked as he suddenly realized what just happened.

"Asari, you smell like blueberries,"

The dark haired teen gave a smile. "Um, thank you?"

It seemed like the boy didn't get it. What did he mean "thank you?" This was trouble! Did he smell like this earlier?!

"Wait, do you know how Giotto smells like?" G was asking a serious question.

"Uh..." Asari was getting weirded out. "No, sorry, but I don't smell him. I don't really think he smells like anything,"

The red head remained still as he was struck dumbfounded. How could he not tell?! His teammate gave a calming laugh.

"I think you've been working yourself too hard," he patted his shoulder. "Now come on, we have to get to class or we'll be marked late,"

G gave a slow nod but the other boy just let out a soft half chuckle. "I'm not a girl. I don't put on perfume,"

"I know," he pouted.

But I didn't know you were a pure blood.

…...

* * *

It's almost been a full week now since he found out about Asari's true lineage. He felt awkward as he entered the traditional Japanese household.

Wait... Why was he here again? His shoulders hunched closely together as he followed his friend around his home. G looked around and felt out place as the surroundings made it seem like an actual traditional palace of the Meiji era.

Finally getting to the main house, the vice-captain remembered – he always hung out at Asari's house every weekend to wait for Giotto to come out of his church service so they could practice afterwards. Barely getting in the building, heavy footsteps shook the floor coming towards them.

"Asari-nii, I'm leaving now!" a dark haired kid that looked a lot like Asari ran by. "Bye!"

He squeezed by the two teens in the hallway and headed out the door.

"Be home by eight, okay?" Asari called after him just before the door closed shut.

G stuck his hands in his pockets stuck at the striking similarity between his friend and the chibi that went by.

"So that's him, huh?" he turned to the boy next to him, "the kid that you took in,"

"Yeah," Asari now had a big brotherly smile to him, "he seems to be adjusting well. He calls my parents 'Aunt' and 'Uncle,'"

"Hmn, that's good. How was the funeral?"

The dark haired teen let out a deep sigh. "He cried... But he's better now. He actually seems a lot better ever since school started,"

"Oh," G gave it a thought, "He was smiling a lot when he just left; did he need to go tutoring?"

"No," Asari laughed. "It's Saturday, he's going to a field trip. Who gets happy going to tutoring?"

A flush colored the red head's face as he heard the ringing laughter.

"Well, you never know," he scratched his head embarrassed, "people get happy at the weirdest things! Like you! You get happy when a lot of people sleep over at your house!"

"I like having company,"

The handsome boy gave him a beguiling look, and he found himself trapped in the stare. The red head shifted his eyes away, trying to free himself of the insufferable hold. _It's the blueberries! The blueberries! _He tried to convince himself that he was just smelling the demonic fragrance again.

"Speaking of company, do you want to keep me some for lunch?" Asari smiled at him.

His brows shot up. "Hm?"

"Everyone else has left the house, but I can get something for you,"

"Just you and me?" he blinked.

"Yup,"

G forced a smile. He suddenly didn't trust himself in a situation like this. Just him and Asari? What if he did something?! Something stupid like – like...

He didn't even try to go further into it. He grew too much aware of the quickly waifing scent floating around him.

"G," his host called out to him.

"Huh? Oh," he realized he still needed to answer and shook his head at his friend's host-like courtesy, " It's alright. I brought my own lunch,"

…...

* * *

Out in the garden, they didn't really need to talk. The size of it all gave the two more than enough space, lessening the need to fill the void rather than if they were in a small room. Still, every bite that the red head took tasted the same – it tasted like nothing. His senses blanked as his subconscious focused at his sense of smell.

A soft breeze brushed by, and the red head suddenly lost his appetite for food. He didn't want the bento, he wanted something else. Asari noticed him drop his chopsticks.

"You're not hungry?" he asked.

"Not really," he looked away.

He might have not known it, but his friend was more than aware about the sudden tension.

"Do you hate me?" the question suddenly slipped from Asari's mouth.

G jumped at his sudden probing. "What?! No! Why would you say that?"

"I don't know. You seem uncomfortable with me lately. You don't look me in the eye, you turn away when I try to talk to you, and you stay quiet when we're alone. Like right now,"

He suddenly felt guilty at his current behavior.

"I don't... I don't hate you," the red head became conscious that he was looking away right now.

"Is it because I'm a pure blood?" the dark haired teen reached for his hand but he twitched from the touch of his skin. There was a sadness that filled Asari's eyes as he pulled away.

"Sorry," G tried to apologize. An awkward silence came in between them.

"Hey," he tried to start up the conversation again. "Does everyone else know?"

This time, it was the other boy's turn to avert his gaze away. "No. Just you,"

"How come just me?" he could feel his face getting red.

"Because I don't want to get the same attention Giotto gets. Actually, it's quite a bother just watching him, so no one else knows. I don't think no one else has noticed but you,"

"Oh," his voice trailed.

"G," the other boy called his name.

"Yeah?"

"Can you not tell anyone else?"

The red head looked at him like he was asking for the impossible. "Huh? But everyone else will figure out eventually! Besides, we're all friends. We won't hurt you,"

"I know," Asari's voice was soft. "But just for a little while, I want to live a little bit normally,"

G bit his lip at his request. It's not like he could do anything about it anyway. "Alright," he nodded.

"Thanks,"

A heavy sigh escaped him at the troublesome situation. _Normally, huh?_ How was that even possible? G looked over to the boy beside him and noticed that Asari was staring. A genuine smile brightened the boy's smooth face and the heat on the red head's cheeks returned.

"It's just between you and me,"

…...

* * *

Another day, another afternoon during lunch time. This time, they were all there as they sat in a circle. Everyone talked loudly, but the usual two were acting again.

"Here," Lampo motioned his bread to Giotto. "It's the new bread they're selling. You said you wanted to try it, right?"

The spiky blond shook his head. "No, it's alright. I'll just buy it next time. I don't want to take your food from you,"

"No, it's okay," the curly haired boy insisted. "It's just a bite. Anyway, I bought two, but I'm saving the other one for later. Just try it,"

Giotto looked at it meekly; everyone could tell he wanted it.

"Okay," he smiled caving in.

He was about to take a nibble straight from Lampo's hand when something beat him to eat. Chomp! Lampo's face turned purple.

"I said take a bite..." the kid bit the pain down, "But Alaude, that's my whole hand! If you wanted some, I could've bought you one! O-ow!"

The platinum blond pulled away chewing on the tasty bread.

"Hahaha!" Knuckles almost spit out his food. "That's what you get for flirting!"

"I wasn't!" a tear welled up in Lampo's eye as he rubbed his hand. "Argh! That really hurt!"

"Is it good?" Giotto smiled at Alaude.

The blond nodded and Asari began to smile. G noticed the dark haired boy's late reaction and studied his face. There was something similar to jealousy as the other boy looked at their basketball captain and Alaude.

Was it companionship? G was pretty sure that everyone treated each other well. So what was it? Asari said he didn't like how Giotto was being treated, but he looked like he wanted to be treated the same way. A frown set on his face as he tried figuring him out.

"Even Alaude protects him from the smallest of threats," Asari teased.

"I'm not a threat!" the green haired boy cried; everyone laughed as he snapped.

That was when he got it. _Oh, _G came to a conclusion. It was protection. _So he was jealous about someone having to protect him._ Is that why he didn't want to come out? Because no one would protect him? The red head looked over to the platinum blond and unconsciously furrowed his brows.

"Something bothering you?" Daemon nudged him on the side.

"Hm?" he snapped out of it. "No,"

Giotto overheard and noticed the glum mood the vice-captain gave off. "Something wrong?" he turned to him too. "Tell us,"

By now, everyone focused their attention to him too.

G brushed his hand through his hair frustrated. At what, he didn't even know,

"It's just, I was thinking. Maybe we should make a pact to not hurt each other,"

The guys looked at him puzzled.

"It's just a bite," Daemon laughed at him.

"No, I mean to try and drink from each other," he looked at them.

If he couldn't protect him, then at least he could make sure that the others wouldn't hurt him. But as he said that, a heavy mood dawned on all their faces.

"What do you mean?" Kunckles' voice was serious. "None of us would do that to each other,"

"I'm just worried," he didn't mean to offend the others.

The heaviness continued until Daemon spoke up. "I'm sure G's just worried about Giotto," he sounded friendly, "But no one's going to harm our captain, right?"

"Hmn," everyone nodded.

The spiky blond looked around and smiled. "Since we're brothers, then it shouldn't even matter. None of us are going to turn on each other. Let's just make it official that we have all sworn to protect each other," he turned to G. "No one is going to take a bite and drink from each other here. I promise,"

"I promise!" Lampo repeated after him.

"I promise," Knuckles went after.

Daemon gave a smile. "I promise Giotto,"

"I promise," Asari went after.

G gave the Japanese a lingering look until he looked back. "I promise," he aimed it Asari.

"I promise," Alaude nodded.

"See," the Italian kept his smile, "Our blood is safe within our circle,"

"Unless were lovers," someone cut in.

"Unless we're lovers," Giotto repeated, "Wait, what?!" he turned to Alaude.

Everyone laughed at their captain's mistake.

"That's it then!" Knuckles fist pumped in the air, "We all promised that we won't drink from each other unless we're lovers!"

"Not unless we're lovers!" the rest of the guys yelled just to tease the spiky blond.

"You guys!" he turned red.

…...

* * *

So he was successful, right? The bell rang signaling break was over. As everyone got up to leave, someone pulled the red head back down.

"Hm?" G looked to who wanted him to stay. It was Asari who had a troubled look on his face.

"Why did you make everyone make a promise?" his voice was serious.

G didn't want to answer truthfully. "You said you didn't like how Giotto was being treated. You meant how everyone looks at him, right?"

The dark haired boy let go of his hand as he gave a sigh. "I meant how others try to jump Giotto everyday. Not the ones that we know, but random guys that always appear out of nowhere. I trust everyone here. You said so yourself, we're all friends."

The read head looked down. Yeah. He said that, didn't he?

"At least you've confirmed that you have everyone's trust. We won't bite you,"

"Unless we're lovers," Asari gave a soft smile. He couldn't get over how Alaude manipulated the final say and laughed.

"Yeah," he looked at him sadly trying to laugh too. "Unless we're lovers,"

…...

* * *

"Get lost. Now." Alaude's deathly glare stabbed at the unlucky and foolish soul who tried to jump Giotto from the back.

"Wah~!" the sap quickly tucked tail and ran.

The death sentence that the platinum blond was going to deliver later still locked on the weakling even after he disappeared.

"I guess this is why Giotto's unscratched, huh?" Knuckles laughed. "Every pure blood should have an Alaude with them,"

The Italian shifted his gaze over to his guardian and the mere eye contact created a heavy pressure on the blue eyed boy. Alaude had somehow became the undisputed main bodyguard for the special child of the main branch family, and no one was going to get past him.

"Let's get to practice, guys" a surge of happiness filled their basketball captain. The simple things Alaude did for him somehow made him extra happier.

…...

* * *

Yup. Daemon smelled the exotic fragrance spreading to his senses. He could almost taste the spiky blond. How did undiluted blood from the original family line taste like? Good, probably. Really good.

He secretly eyed the drink he could never have as everyone walked ahead of him. Not with Alaude always by his side could Daemon have even a tiny sip. A few days ago, he had almost lost hope of ever getting to taste the rare delicacy of such a fine breed when he came upon a new find. Sulking that there was something he could never get, the fresh scent of another fine breed caught him when they were changing in the locker rooms after practice. It was just as good as Giotto's. It was new. Vibrant. It was Asari.

The blue haired teen had stared at his Japanese teammate as he changed, and the boy gave a smile when he noticed him gawking too long. Too innocent.

Other pure bloods didn't know about the scent they gave off unless they were told by others, and he didn't think Asari knew about himself. He was clueless. The plotting teen had tried to analyze his teammates and it seemed like no one else knew about it; it was still an early stage before his seductive fragrance fully developed anyway.

This was good then, he couldn't help but plant a smirk. Asari had no "Alaude" with him. No one knew what he was. He could finally have what he always wanted – to defile the purity of the precious crimson liquid inside a new young blood. It was perfect.

His focus never left his dark haired teammate as they practiced.

"What's wrong?" his prey retrieved the ball from the shot he just missed, "You seemed out of it lately,"

"Hmm..." he eyed the unknowing boy, "I guess I just haven't been focused lately,"

Heavy dribbles of the other players on the team shook their gym floor.

"Time to clean up guys!" their vice-captain went around, "It's time to go home. Everyone make sure that all the balls are put away!"

"Hai!"

The other boys in the team followed the red head's orders and went around retrieving their equipment.

"Hey," Daemon called out to Asari before he went off and helped, "can you stay with me for a little longer to help me on my shots?"

"Sure," the boy didn't hesitate.

This was going to be good.

…...

* * *

The orange glow of the gym as the final last half hour of the sunset started to kick in was beautiful. It always made the end of his day so fulfilling after practice.

G followed closely behind Giotto and Alaude as they headed out of school. The two spoke loudly as their captain asked the other for his plans for tonight.

"I still have something to do," the pale boy answered.

Giotto gave a pout.

"You're not going go after the kid from earlier are you?"

Alaude didn't respond and instead looked at the Italian annoyed. Of course! Obviously he had to. He made it his duty to to lay down the scythe to any punks that lifted a finger against the spiky blond.

"If you don't take care of those pests, they'll keep coming back."

"But I need you with me tonight! I need help with math homework," Giotto lied. He hated the thought of having to kill someone.

"Then I'll come by after,"

"Well, I haven't done last week's either! And the test!" he tugged Alaude's arm, "I need help studying for the test tomorrow,"

Alaude didn't budge. He needed to think of something fast.

"If you come home with me right now, you can stay the night!"

The other boy stopped walking and looked at him. Did he get him?

"Okay," there was a twinkle in Alaude's eye, "I'll take you home. I just have to sneak out somewhere in the middle of the night and come back,"

"No!" Giotto sighed. "It doesn't work that way!"

"I don't see why not,"

G laughed as they kept arguing. It was good they were always by each other's sides. The red head suddenly stopped walking as he remembered.

"Hm?" their captain looked back. "Is something wrong, G?"

He shook his head. "Yeah. I think I left something back at the gym. I'll see you guys tomorrow,"

He waved them bye and started to rush back to school. Looking at them, the idea of having every pure blood having a guardian by their side came back at him. Asari said that he was going to stay for a bit longer after practice didn't he? Maybe he could still meet up with him if he hadn't left already.

As he got closer and closer back to campus, there was a strong smell of the fresh scent he sniffed earlier - Asari was still here. But how come it was so strong?

He went up the stairs and neared the gym, but the smell got even heavier and heavier with every step; he had to stop as he reached the gym doors. Something was wrong. The scent never got this crazy before! G took a whiff of the air and a sudden dizziness pushed him back.

What is this?! He leaned himself over the wall. Blood was rushing to his head as his fangs grew at an unprecedented pace. A dark aura emanated behind the wooden doors and fear started to bubble up inside him. Why was he so scared? A dangerous excitement welled up within the fear as he carefully reached for the handle.

"Asari!" he called out as he went in.

His face dropped at what he walked in on.

"W-what... What are you doing?!"

His lips twisted in anger.

…...

* * *

It was sweet.

That was his answer. It was really sweet – better than any dessert man could make. He gorged himself in intoxication against the soft skin of his teammate as the boy lay still on the floor; a dark, almost black, flood of liquid surrounded the two like a small island staining their clothes.

"Blueberries," Daemon shifted his gaze at the red head who just came in. "He even tastes like blueberries."

A demonic smile spread across his face as he heard G yell.

"Get off!" the red head came at him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

His teammate tackled him off his prey and decked him on the cheek. He only gave a laugh as he pushed the angry boy back and steadied himself back on his feet.

"What the hell's gotten into you?!" he kept yelling. "That's our friend!"

"Friend? Well he's one very good tasting friend!"

"You made a pact with us!"

"I made that promise only to Giotto!"

There was a twist of anger that crumpled the red head's expression as he ran up to him again.

"Argh!" Daemon grabbed both of G's fists into his hands. This was something he could do now that he gained even more strength after drinking such fine blood.

"Why?!"

"Why?" the blue haired teen looked at his teammate. "I couldn't get Giotto since that annoying blond's always around him, so I had to choose another target! Did you know that Asari was a pure blood? It was pretty selfish that he kept that from us, don't you think?"

The red head kicked him in the gut and sent him flying across the room.

"I knew! I knew that he was a pure blood!"

It looked like he was in the verge of breaking as the boy stood there glaring and panting.

"You knew?" Damon looked at him. "You knew and didn't tell everyone else?"

"To protect him!"

"Protect him?" Daemon gave out a laugh. "How?! Did you have your sights on him too? You wanted to keep him all to yourself?"

The blue haired teen looked back at the unconscious student on the floor; blood was still seeping out from him. He may have overdid it by biting and ripping different places on his flesh for better openings, but oh well.

It was truly ironic.

"If you had told someone, you might have been able to save him,"

Asari was truly going to die soon.

"Unless... Did you really think you could protect him on your own?"

He raised a brow at the angry teen. "Is that why you came back? To 'protect' him, or was that merely a coincidence? Nufufu... You're no Alaude,"

"Shut up!" G finally lost it.

The red head started swinging his fists and landed hard hits on Daemon's guts. His anger came out in his blows like an angry storm; G had reverted back to his old self when he was still a delinquent a few years back before he joined the basketball team.

The blue haired teen grabbed his collar and threw him off.

"Urgh!" the boy hit the ground.

Daemon slowly walked over.

"Do you know that there really isn't anything that separates those from the main family line and the lesser ranks?"

His teammate tried to get up from the floor but he quickly stepped on his back and kicked him back down.

"The only thing is," he continued, "is that pure bloods can play with fire."

Daemon's hand twitched and a sudden blue flame burst from his palm. He laughed as the image of the beautiful colored gas reflected in his teammate's eyes as he stared at the dangerous fire.

"Drinking their blood, you can temporarily gain their powers and the duration lasts based on how much you drank from them. I could probably last a week or two," he chuckled.

G remained mesmerized by the thing he cradled in his hand and a slight annoyance hit the blue haired teen.

"It's Asari's flame," he held his hand close to the red head's face, "do you want to feel it?"

He slammed his palm against the left side of his teammate's cheeks as the boy called out in agony. The smell of burnt skin and the sizzling beneath his hand tingled his senses as G struggled beneath.

…...

* * *

He was screaming at the top of his lungs as fear caught him. Daemon kept his hand heavily against his face and when he tried to struggle, the boy only smeared his palm even harder, the burning fingers reaching his eyes.

"Stop it!" He used his other hand and pressed against G's shoulder as the red head tried to struggle even harder; he could feel the amazing heat catch his shirt on fire. "Get off!" G screamed as he struck blindly in the air.

Luckily, he got Daemon on the eye tipping his balance, and pushed him off. Finally free, the red head rolled on the ground trying to put out the flames when something grabbed him and threw him across the room. Something sharp hit his back as he broke against a window, a loud shattering burst around his ears. Air rushed against his hair as he felt himself fly outside the building and crash into the ground of the P.E. field.

"Agh!" dirt jumped into his mouth as he gasped from the pain.

He held onto his side tightly as he wheezed for air unable to recover from the shock. There were no words to describe what he felt as the skin off his cheeks started to melt. He tried to rub the dirt off at the side of his mouth, but he screamed at the mere touch against his face. The gooey skin stuck against his fingers and ripped as he tried to peel them off.

"G!" he heard Daemon's voice boom in the air.

Panic quickly struck the red head and he fumbled on the ground trying to stand. That guy was a freaking demon! He immediately started running searching for a place to hide, and found the shed. He had to buy himself some time! He jingled the handle but it wouldn't budge. _Damn it! _He unconsciously looked back to see if the blue haired beast was coming, but he didn't see him.

_Screw this!_ He hastily smashed his fists against the lock and broke in. The sun was gone and it was completely dim inside the small building. He felt around trying to use his hands as a guide when he bumped into something; the loud crash made him jump and he quickly stepped away.

A breath escaped him as he need to calm down. _Pull yourself together, G. _He looked down and saw that he pushed to the floor what looked like an archery bow.

_A bow? _He picked up the weapon on the ground.

"G!" Daemon called his name again.

…...

* * *

His throat tightened as he neared the other end of the field where the equipment shed was.

Why did he feel so hot? There was a sharp pain congesting in his chest and he started feeling unsettled. For some reason, after he used the fire, it felt like something was clawing inside his airways and searing it. He repeatedly pounded his lungs as it got harder to breathe and walk around; his joints felt oddly stiff as he moved his legs. What is this? He scratched the side of his neck as an itch began to spread across his skin. No matter how many times he scratched, it wouldn't go away.

"Urgh!" he dug his nails in and accidentally cut himself; something trickled down his ear as he tore his hand away.

He needed to find that red head soon – this cat and mouse chase was getting irritating!

But where was that guy hiding? Daemon walked around the field holding his right eye. He couldn't believe that G could hit so hard. The vision in his eye turned cloudy and he could only rely on the other to see. Where was he?!

"G!" he called out. "Where are you?!"

Thack! Something bounced off his head hard and he fell down. What the?! He looked around and found a football on the floor.

"Right here!" someone called up from above.

He looked up and saw something falling from the sky coming at him.

"Umf!" his chest tightened as an arrow pierced through his thighs and gut.

He looked back and saw a figure standing on the roof of the equipment shed. The person's arm drew back as he held a longbow and more arrows flew from the sky straight at him. The pain at his legs grew worse as he tried to run and more blood came out. Sharp metal drilled through his flesh as the archer got him on both shoulders.

What's with these toys?! Daemon grabbed the arrows stuck on his thigh and pulled them out.

"Daemon!" a scream rumbled beneath as something ran up to him.

The blue haired teen held out his hands to stop the rush attack, but the attacker was too fast. Surprise caught him as he swore he saw that coming!

Something slowed his reflexes that made him unable to move. Sharp pain pierced his ribs as the red head pushed him back; maybe there was something about the metal arrows that made him unable to move? Staring at his teammate's hateful eyes, he stood there frozen as blood spurted from his mouth.

"Do you know that there really isn't anything that separates those from the main family line and the lesser ranks?" the red head mocked him. "The only thing is, you can't drink their blood unless your lovers or another pure blood."

Daemon gave a hateful smile.

"It wasn't merely a thing Alaude spoke out, it was a warning! That wasn't just a pact we made, it was law, and you broke it! His blood will slowly attack yours, but you don't deserve to die by Asari's blood. Instead, I'm going to make you spill every drop you took from him,"

The red head sunk the metal arrow in deeper through his flesh, and a heavy stream of dark liquid began to gush out. So it wasn't the metal? Daemon drew a smirk that would never be wiped off. Blood was pouring heavier and heavier as he began coughing it out.

"Who's to say we aren't lovers?"

G glared at him and stabbed him with another metal arrow. "I do,"

…...

* * *

Daemon probably just said that to tick him off. Who'd believe Asari would ever like a guy like him? G watched as the the blue haired teen fizzled from consciousness; the last drop dripped out from him and his eyes rolled back.

He took out both arrows he stabbed him with, and let the boy fall to the floor. Daemon's true self was sickening. He threw the long metal arrows to the floor and hurried back to the gym.

"Asari!" he yelled the boy's name as he rushed back in.

He sat beside the fallen student and picked his head up.

"Are you awake?" he shook him.

Asari's lids lifted just so that a bit of color from his eyes could be seen. Still... He'd lost too much blood. All of it was on the floor, it was impossible to put it all back in!

G set his bow on the ground and unstrapped the quiver from his back. He ripped the buttons off his school uniform and stripped off his shirt.

"Drink me," he shook his teammate again to make sure he stayed awake.

The dark haired boy groggily shook his head and the red head repeated himself.

"Drink me! You've lost too much blood! You're going to die,"

His friend breathed deeply as he lay on the floor.

"We promised..." Asari closed his eyes, "that we wouldn't do it to each other... Unless we're lovers,"

"Screw that!"

G was losing his wits. Was he trying to make a joke right now?! Ever since he met Asari, he had trained him to be calm, calmer than he was when he was alone. G was a person that naturally became angry easily, and he thought he had grown mature, but obviously he hadn't.

"Look at me," he begged the boy in his hands, "I burnt my face so I could have you,"

Asari kept his eyes closed.

"Are you going to let yourself die like this?!" he yelled. He held they the dark haired teen closer to him. "Asari, I love you,"

His skin was so cold as he held it tight. There was a trembling in his hands and he was finally able to see it as the spasms grew stronger – Asari was shaking. He was scared, G felt an arrow go down his throat. He was so scared...

"I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to protect you. I'm no Alaude but..." G felt the boy stir and he looked over.

"But Alaude's too overbearing, isn't he?" Asari gave him a smile.

Even though he was shaking, the simple change in his expression calmed the red head down as the boy placed his head back down against his shoulder. His mind went blank, and he swallowed hard as he moved his hand against his friend's dark hair. He needed to be gentle, but he didn't understand. Whatever Asari wanted, he'd accept it then.

There was suddenly a sharp pain against his neck.

"Ngh!" G jolted from the sudden pin prick.

There was a sudden hot breath breathing against his ear as he could feel something slide out from his skin.

"I'm sorry I don't have the strength to make it feel nice," Asari's tired voice whispered beside him, "but it will in a second. Just let me drink from you for a little while,"

The red head didn't dare look at what the other boy was doing, and just kept his eyes looking forward at the wall; his eyes darted against the broken window he just flew out of. Something smooth and sharp sunk back in his neck again, and a sudden heat fluttered in his body.

The orange gym – the glow wasn't there anymore. It became dark, and the shadows grew that it swallowed the whole inside of the building. The moon was captured full to where G was staring as if the gap against the wall where the window had been was a frame for a picture.

Regret started to fill him.

He was sorry he hadn't paid enough attention; he knew about Asari's lineage for almost a full two weeks now and he hadn't done anything.

He was sorry he didn't take it seriously enough.

He was sorry he had made all the wrong decisions.

He was sorry he wasn't strong enough to protect him.

He was sorry that things went wrong. Did he not care enough to prevent such mistakes? Were his feelings half-assed?

He was sorry that he was no Alaude.

…...

* * *

Someone nudged him awake.

"Are you okay?" a voice called out to him.

G opened his eyes and saw his friend's familiar face. For a second, he thought he was in still in the same gym three years ago as he looked at the ceiling; it was the same familiar darkness as no lights shined above them. He looked to the side and saw the same full moon up in the high windows. Emptiness...

He turned his head back and saw the pale face again, the jaw line more defined and hard; his friend's face had matured. So it was all just a dream, huh? A remnant of the past...

He looked up at Asari's worried face looking down at him – that was always his expression when they were together, he never smiles at him anymore. Is it because all he does troubles him?

"I'm okay," he sat up. He looked around and saw that the gym had cleared of the fight. It was just them and the rest of the other vampires from Namimori. "Are you?"

For a second, the expression on the other teen's face changed, but it quickly reverted back.

"I'm fine," he waved him off.

_Isn't it okay to say that you're scared? _He looked Asari in the eyes. The dark haired boy quickly looked away, reading his thoughts._ Because of me, you met him again. _He heard Asari sigh.

"Since you're okay, I'll help the others then," the dark haired boy got up earnestly trying to leave him.

G looked the other way so he couldn't see him go. _I'm sorry, _were the only words he could think of. _I failed again._

Over to the side of the gym, his eyes fell on the new blood, Tsuna. Someone had placed it so that Giotto sat beside him with his head leaning over the young boy's shoulder. On the brunette's lap where the Italian should have been was instead Asari's student – the boy the dark haired teen had taken a liking to when his family adopted the abandoned child, Yamamoto Takeshi.

What is this? A smile pulled his face like he was laughing. His chest was heaving short staccato laughs muffled under his nose. He didn't want to laugh. Why the hell was he smiling? He kept looking at the three, his sight getting blurry like he was under water. Tsuna was looking at at the bastard child like some sort of mesmerized fool.

_Hmf... _A stream of air forced out from his nose. He pressed the top of his head deep into his hand, shaking; he was getting angry at himself. The unwanted laughs turned into a slightly more audible sound as they drew out in now long heavy breaths.

_Damn this! _He slammed his fist against the ground. Why the fuck did he keep on smiling?!

What the fuck was wrong with him?!

…...

* * *

"What is this?" Tsuna looked at Yamamoto.

Was that just a confession he made? His heart was beating loudly in his ears. Love? What is this love?!

The dark haired teen's masculine hand wrapped around his, holding it tight. There was something hard between their hands and he could only guess what it was.

"It's my ring," his friend's yellow eyes looked deep into his. "I'm not going to force it on you. I want you to take this if you feel anything for me. I mean – I guess I'm just trying to ask after all these years: Tsuna, what am I to you? This ring," his brows folded into to deep thought, "it may seem insignificant, but it means a lot to me. At least it's supposed to; it's my honor and pride. But when I think about you, there's nothing that I can compare that makes me feel the way you do."

Tsuna shrugged his shoulders shaking his head. "We're friends," a forced smile plastered on his face.

What expression was he supposed to make?

"I've never seen you as just a friend," Yamamoto looked pained. "When I first saw you back then," he smiled, "I though thought you were so cute walking down the isle with your father. Tsuna's blushing face from being teased, I wanted to tease you too."

His face turned red at the old memories. Talking about this now? He felt a hand brush against his side.

"It was just like this," his friend softly played with his cheeks making him release a happy purr, "everyone made fun of you being a vampire so you were always upset. They were all the same, picking on you, so I had to stand up to them just to be different so you'd actually notice me,"

"Notice you? You always stood out," Tsuna laughed.

"Being by your side, it was interesting. Your expressions all the time, it was funny. But when I first saw you smile, I knew I just wanted to make you happy. Your happy face beats that crying face anytime; I really wanted to see that face every time I saw you,"

"But you always make me smile," he looked at the boy hurt.

"And if you let me, can I keep doing that?"

His stare was so intense, the brunette looked at him not knowing how to answer. It's true, Yamamoto always kept him smiling when he was around, but what could he do to do the same for him? Making him happy, why would he stop him?

"Tsuna," he uttered his name; his hand's grip clasped tighter. "Have you noticed me yet?"

His heart beat even faster. The boy on his lap propped himself up with his elbow so that their faces drew close. Tsuna cast his eyes down as their noses touched, his hand shaking.

"I've noticed you..." his voice suddenly became quieter.

He could feel the taller teen smile as he backed himself further against the wall from embarrassment. They weren't the words "I love you," but he couldn't help but feel weak.

"Really?"

"Yeah," he whispered.

Yamamoto's hand never let go as the gap between them shrank, his friend's lips finally kissing his.

"Yamamoto," he drew a hot breath.

The dark haired teen slowly pulled away, but he drew in a haze and forgot what he was going to say. Giving him his second, Yamamoto dived in for another kiss, this time even deeper. One kiss, two kiss, Tsuna finally kissed him back. The soft brushes against his pink skin, there was a hint of something sharp that was getting more and more noticeable after each time they came at each other. The other teen drew away for a long moment as he heard a strange sound.

"Yamamoto," he called his name out again.

The boy went at his lips again and something thin sliced the inside of his mouth like a paper cut. There was a sudden jolt as Yamamoto got pulled away.

"Stop this," an angry gruff voice shoved them back to their surroundings.

A small sting pricked him and Tsuna felt the side of his mouth feeling something wet; looking at his fingers, a red painted the tips. Blood.

He looked up to who interrupted them and saw his red headed sempai, his eyes glaring at the two of them for doing some weird things just now. It looked like he ran a mile to get to them as his face colored the same as his disheveled hair.

"What are you guys doing?" he aimed the question more to Yamamoto who he had by his hand. "Get up," he pulled the injured boy to his feet. "Everyone needs to leave here. Now. We can't stay here in this school."

Tsuna watched as the dark haired teen refused to look at their senior even though he was being directly addressed. A guilty look on his face made him just stand there until their sempai told him to go outside.

"But sempai," Yamamoto argued.

There was flickering of the red stone on G's hand as he tried to speak. The dark haired teen stepped back drawing into a silence and nodded. The brunette was about to call after his friend to wait when the red head cut him off as well.

"Tsuna," his voice was sharp. He looked up at the boy in white uniform and saw that he was staring at the ground next to him and followed his gaze. _Giotto's ring! _it was Tsuna's turn to be guilty. "Put that ring back in your finger, and don't take it off,"

He gave the baller another look before he went and picked up the golden ring on the floor.

"S-sorry,"

He almost forgot that Yamamoto had taken it off. He held the small object in his hand and clutched it tightly with the other ring his friend just gave him. G stood there quietly waiting for him to put it directly on is finger but he just drew back; the weight of the Italian on his shoulder became more and more heavy as the red head kept his stare.

"G," someone called out to his senior from the shadows. The moonlight shining into the building wasn't bright enough to permit him to see further than five feet away.

"Yes?" the baller turned.

"I need to talk to you,"

The red head didn't look like he wanted to leave. Whoever it was, he gave off a commanding voice used to ordering people around; his sempai seemed to have no choice but to comply. The older boy gave Tsuna one last glance before he left demanding – Put it on. Put that ring on.

He didn't budge. Tsuna waited until his sempai went and disappeared into the darkness and he was left alone. A quietness surrounded him and the spiky blond as they were abandoned in private.

In those few minutes, he couldn't control himself. The floor and the wall at his back felt cool, but he was still burning hot. It was his whole body that was flushed. He clutched onto his hand where the two rings of his friends remained squished.

He was kissed today... By Yamamoto.

A burst of giddiness fluttered in his veins. What was this feeling?! He shifted his eyes to the boy leaning against him. In front of him, the cool, charming face of an old friend and upperclassman rested beside him. Before he met Yamamoto, all he had was Giotto. But now, his face crumpled as one of the rings burned in his hand.

But now, his mind was flooded with the dark haired teen who stole his first kiss. He sat there thinking, just looking at the spiky blond, but it didn't take him long. He reached for Giotto's left hand and took the golden ring from his palms.

"I'm sorry," he kept his brows furrowed as he slipped the other one from his hand too, "but I can't do it. I can't do it with you, Giotto-nii."

He slipped both golden rings back to his senior's hand.

"Because I think I'm in love with someone else,"

"Are you?" a voice suddenly made him jump.

Tsuna instinctively closed his senior's hand to hide what he had done. The beating of his heart pounded at his ears as his eyes drew wide; he was acting as if he was doing something wrong. He swallowed something dry in his mouth as he slowly twisted his head to see who had caught him.

To his surprise, a man in a crisp suit stepped out of the shadows; his eyes looking down at him. His features were shadowed by the dimness of the awful lighting, and all he could see was a faint lining of the man's tall figure.

It was the one who called to G earlier.

"Sawada," his eyes shot open.

The color. The instant he saw the color of his eyes, he stopped breathing.

"What is this talk about love?"

Suffocating.

They were there purest bloodshot red.


	5. Please Read Between The Lines

A/N: Yay~ 5th chapter haha. Sorry it's later than than when I usually update but I hope you like this one. For the next chapter, I'm hoping that if you guys have any ideas, please feel free to say so. Thank you for reading this far and keeping up with me. Enjoy~

* * *

**~Sweetness~**

**Chapter 5 - Please Read Between The Lines**

* * *

In the dimness of the night, the only thing that fell directly under the moon's spotlight was the Vongola heir and the new blood.

This. This was the other pureblood. That _man's_ son.

His fiery eyes fell upon the spiky haired boy as he pressed tightly against their family heir, but he couldn't hide it. He was no fool. Even though Ricardo had kept quiet about it this whole time, he knew. A scowl settled on his face.

"There is no love that comes with our duty,"

He shifted his eyes from Giotto to the smaller boy. Were all the people he knew fools? He finally locked the fiery red irises on the boy who was staring right back at him as he walked closer. The brown haired kid's gaze followed him as he came near, stopping to bend low in front of him so that their eyes met; the boy's breath turned non existent as he held it from the unknown man.

"Let him eat you already," he growled, "Or I will,"

…...

* * *

Who was this man? He looked at him with such hostility that the stranger's wrath started to hypnotize his senses.

He couldn't keep it in anymore; he needed to breathe! Tsuna's breath escaped from him in staccato as he tried to hold it in and an embarrassing heat pinched him as he saw the man's nose twitch.

"S-sorry," he tried to squeak in.

The man's frown only settled in deeper and the boy's ears popped. Tsuna's eyes widened in surprise as a monotone ringing filled them and the room turned murky. It was as if something was enveloping the very walls of the gym. The long face of the mysterious stranger flashed rhythmically with static – stretching and reverting back as if the space was being warped.

What was happening?! Tsuna clutched his chest as a heaviness overpowered him. Fear. It was fear growing inside his brain as he grew confused. Wishing that someone would explain what in the world was going on, something stuffed down his throat and he couldn't even scream for help.

He evaded the sight of the suited man staring intently at him and escaped his line of view to the window far off in the other side of the gym behind him. Nothing was making sense. The scene outside was malicious – a sinister inkiness seeped into the red colored sky, the moon shinning a sanguine flush.

"I want this to be the last time I see you untouched,"

The clear domineering voice cringed through every inch of his flesh.

"I want you eaten and taken,"

…...

* * *

There was an aged look shadowing his face as he came in the Vongola residence. Yes, he was called for matters concerning him, but the situation was all too troubling on its own. The servants greeted him as he was welcomed in as a familiar face and led down the corridor to meet the man who called for him.

A door barely opened as they entered the narrow hallway and a tall man appeared from the ornate place, his sudden presence exuded the same authoritative dominance all nobles gave.

"Reborn," Ricardo came out of the room.

It wasn't actually the best of times to see the second heir to Vongola family.

"Secondo," he nodded at him back.

The second heir signaled the servants to leave them, and the two who led Reborn in bowed to leave. There was a cushion of silence as they waited to make sure they were safe from earshot before the Vongola continued.

"Your blood is here," his gruff brows tightened.

The door Ricardo came out of remained open and he pulled it wider as Reborn followed him back in the private room. His expressions remained stiff, but his shoulders relaxed as he saw the small brown haired boy he cared for tucked neatly in a bed. The boy's lips parted peacefully as he droned in his sleep; there didn't seem to be any injuries on him. A great chunk of the worries Reborn held lifted from the back of his mind. Tsuna was fine.

The second heir remained grounded near the bedroom door as he watched the arcobaleno quietly walk forward towards the bed, hands in his pockets. Reborn's fedora tilted as he looked down to the sleeping boy and he held out his hand, his thumb softly brushing Tsuna's smooth forehead. _He's alright. _His body suddenly betrayed him and the man's eyes shook.

The arcobaleno immediately pulled his hand back startled by the brief anarchy of his emotions against his better judgement. He slipped his hand back into his pocket and turned to the man waiting at the door. Nothing happened, his eyes didn't need to turn sharp for the Vongola to know.

"Can I see Giotto?" he changed the topic.

"Primo doesn't want anyone to see anyone right now,"

"Let me talk to him," he insisted.

Reborn walked back out the door stubborn when Ricardo stopped him.

"You said you would stop this," the man's words laced heavily with accusation.

The arcobaleno stopped in his tracks as the two stood shoulder to shoulder, both facing the other way.

"I stopped the war with the humans, I didn't stop the war against the vampires. The internal war will always go on as long as there is desire for personal gain rather than the benefit of the families,"

His words were the right summary and premonition, but the blame the second heir placed on him wouldn't be taken back easily.

"He is your blood," Ricardo's voice urged firm.

The troubles the arcobaleno buried deep inside himself began to bubble out of the lid he muffled it with. The lid was gone. It burned away. The worries had become too hot to contain and they have become reality. Yes, Ricardo was right. It was blood that bore him responsible and he had reacted too late. His lips sealed from saying anything back. It may be late, but that doesn't mean he couldn't fix it. He could fix everything. That's all he'd ever done, wasn't it?

Fix the war. Fix the strife. Fix everything.

He brushed by the man beside him and continued to walk out of the room like he intended. Truly, no one could ever see that he was just one man. It just happened that he was the closest to superman.

…...

* * *

The fluorescent lights burned above him as they lit up the room. They made sure that everything was exposed – all of it, even the tiniest shadow. He felt naked as he sat at the edge of his bed, slumped. Giotto's fingers uncurled to reveal the golden rings sitting on his palm.

It was funny. He was too serious for the ironic smile that crept up on his face. He slid his original ring onto his left hand but the other one's weight still pulled problematically on his other. His stare became black as he sunk into deep thought at Tsuna's ring.

It really was Tsuna's ring – that was his blood encrusted on the golden metal. The boy's father had kept a vial of his blood from when Tsuna was young, and the father had made the ring himself to give to Giotto. It was decided that he would take Tsuna. It was decided.

More like he was the only one that could take him. It was a pure blood's duty and... and...

His hand twitched to hide the golden ring that was not his. How could he fulfill the task given to him if the boy was going to give the cursed object back?! _It's not mine, Tsuna! It's yours!_ He was not supposed to have this right now!

He was about to throw himself back on the bed when a knock stiffened him. He calmed himself at the spare second he had before his bedroom door opened. The Italian turned at the incoming guest and saw the curly sideburns of his frequent visitor.

"Reborn-san,"

The tall man leaned against the door frame with a calmed expression, his silence meaning that he had immediately recognized the troubled expression the teen wore when he came in. He looked away as the arcobaleno looked him up and down.

"It must've been a rough night," the man saw the bruises covering his arms and chest. To top it off, he even had a bandage wrapped around his head when Daemon had hit him on the back of his head.

"Yeah," Giotto nodded, "it's been rough,"

The blond suddenly found himself unable to control the expressions he was making. His cheeks kept pulling his lips to a fake smile and he just shoved his head against the bones of his thumbs, his hands curled into fists. _What's gotten into me? _He sighed deeply as he tried to drown the unreasonable feelings trying to show. It must've been because Reborn was here.

He was used to dumping his emotions onto the man who acted as his mentor. Both his parents died a few years after he was born due to an assassination, so there wasn't anyone to teach him how to become a leader. In the end, the head of the Arcobaleno familia took him under his wing; Reborn practically raised him. The man knew everything about him from his best to his worst, and right now he was being at his worst.

He slipped up today with the basketball game, but that wasn't what filled his head. It had actually been a year that he built up the initiative to give the ring to Tsuna today, and had asked Yamamoto to watch the boy while he fixed the voices in his head telling him not to. Wasn't it their vow not to take blood unless they loved each other? There had to be love...

Hitting on Tsuna earlier, it felt empty. Because he was trying to force it, he created a big mess.

"I'm sorry," he whispered feeling overwhelmed by it all, "but it's going to take a while,"

He didn't want to talk, but just think for a while. He heard the sound of the door being moved as the arcobaleno decided to leave him for now.

"I'm sorry too," the wood creaked, "I wish I could tell you that you don't have to do it, but I can't. I leave it to you, Giotto."

…...

* * *

Living like everything was normal, he had to. Tsuna and Giotto hadn't gone back to school yet, but they had to act normal.

"You're up next Yamamoto!" his friend smiled widely as he came back to the bench from a homerun. They were finally tied and they had two outs before for the last inning.

Yamamoto gave his usual confident smile as he fixed his helmet.

"Yosh!" he swung his bat to get the feel as he went up to bat.

He nodded to the pitcher and readied himself into position. The boy on the mound shook his head a few times remembering that the dark haired boy was a clean up hitter and wanted to get the right pitch to strike him out. The batter's grip felt oddly more secure as his ring was gone, but an uneasiness still tugged on him as his source of comfort and power was gone. Not like he relied on the unnatural strength he hid in his ring, but the weight on his hands just felt different.

The pitcher finally nodded and leaned back for the throw. Yamamoto should just be happy. Tsuna didn't immediately shove the ring back at him when he gave it to him that night. The hot breaths he stole from his friend as they kissed tingled the memory of his lips. He should really be happy! A loud thack echoed in the air as he swung at the ball.

"Woah!" the people at the sidelines awed as everyone's heads looked up.

"It's a homerun!" his teammate at the bench pressed against the fence exited. "Run! Run!"

The white dot in the sky disappeared. The wind pushed his hair back as he passed through the bases. His team grew wild as they took the lead; they won this game.

In the end, they won 7-6. The guys dumped the water from the cooler on him as they cheered another victory. At least this felt good. They left off in a good note as they headed to the locker room to change.

"Yamamoto!" one of the guys jumped on him.

"Woah!" he stumbled almost hitting his locker.

Another came up and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. "Man, we won another game thanks to you! We should go out and celebrate! I'll treat you!"

The guys screamed at his ears and at each other when he slipped away.

"Sorry guys," he smiled apologetically, "but I have to go somewhere today. Maybe next time,"

"Whaaaat?" his teammates pulled a disappointed face. "Alright, but next time! You better go next time!"

He finished putting his shirt back on and waved them goodbye as he got out of the locker rooms. He strapped his duffel bag across his shoulder as he hurried out of the school gates when he saw a person at the corner of his eye. The dark haired student leaned against the brick wall at the entrance waiting for him still in the burgundy uniform.

"Are you going somewhere?" Asari tilted his head.

Yamamoto stopped running and slowed down surprised that the other boy was still there after school. For a second, he hesitated. He looked around to see if any of the other committee members were around and found them alone.

"To Tsuna's house," he looked to his senior. If it was just Asari, he could tell him.

The older boy smiled as he looked to Yamamoto's empty hand which he tried to hide. "You should. You should always be near your ring at all times in case something happens,"

The playful smile Asari played on him lightened his spirits. So they found out already, huh?

"How did you know?" he rubbed the back of his neck.

"It has been a few days and I live with you, so I'm bound to notice. Besides, you can't hide anything from me,"

The two looked at each other knowingly; the words had a double meaning to it. He didn't want to hide anything from a guy he considered as his brother but there was also the power of the Japanese royal family who had the ability to invade the deepest part of your mind if they wished.

"I really want to see Tsuna," he admitted. "He hasn't came to school for a while,"

The smile on Asari's face slowly melted.

"Don't worry, he'll be back soon. Maybe you should wait until he comes back,"

"But I really want to see him though,"

The senior straightened up from the wall and and a cold wind passed by.

"I know you do," the breeze played with the older boy's hair, "but right now you shouldn't. He isn't at his house at the moment,"

Yamamoto's eyes sharpened. _With Giotto then?_

"Then... he's at the Vongola house?"

"No," the other shook his head. "He's with the Arcobaleno,"

The final word carried into the whispering wind. Arcobaleno – the strongest family in the world of vampires.

…...

* * *

"I didn't know this would happen,"

There were faint voices somewhere in the distance. Tsuna didn't want to hear them, but they intruded his deep slumber. Being pulled from the comfortable haze, the two men continued.

"Hmn... I knew that Kokuyo was already moving, but I didn't expect this either,"

There was a slight pause of incoherent disagreement until their voices rose again.

"Only Mukuro was put in the penitentiary, but Daemon was able to escape. He disappeared before the Vindice even made it to the scene,"

"He's still out there then? Can you find him?"

"He doesn't have a ring," there was a slight frustration in the answer. "He's not part of the family, so there's no way to trace him."

Their serious voices were tuned quiet but they still bothered him; every word they spoke was audible and the brunette couldn't help but wake. He opened his eyes and found himself in a dark room. Shifting his position, a silky cloth wrinkled on an unfamiliar bed. He let out a groggy groan as he felt like he'd been sleeping for days.

Tired from not moving for so long, he rubbed his eyes and sat up trying to clear his vision. Barely able to make anything out, the foreign room he found himself in made him feel as if he was intruding. Who's room was this? His brows bent at his intrusion.

"-Tsuna,"

Hm? His head cleared at the sound of his name. His head turned to a slightly open door where the only source of light came through. The yellow glow drew his curiosity in as he tossed the white sheets enveloping him aside. Why was someone talking about him? And who?

He was careful to keep his feet light. Tiptoeing to the open door, his toes felt through the soft carpet layering the floor – lucky that it was there to drown out his steps.

"Is he okay? I heard he was knocked out. He didn't get injured, did he?"

"No, he's fine. Ricardo just put him to sleep,"

There was a short pause.

"Ricardo huh?... I remember him. He's a dangerous man,"

"You can trust him," the other assured, "I trust him,"

Tsuna pressed his eye against the open crack of the door. Peeking into the other room, there were two men conversing across a glass table. One was a gruff blond who was standing with his back turned against the peeping boy. He wore a black robe with a white sash wrapped loosely around his waist. His frame seemed so familiar. The other was a slimmer man dressed in a handsome black suit and tie, his fedora sitting comfortably on his head as he leaned his face against his hand; his elbow stood putting pressure against the arm rest.

The man who stood let out an exasperated sigh. "I should have returned sooner. I'm sorry,"

The other waived him off at his words.

"It was turning into a pure blood's matter so it doesn't really matter," the man on the black leather couch frowned. "The problem between us is over after all, so there's not really a need for you to trouble yourself. I called you back for something else,"

The suited man tilted his head up giving the brunette a better view of his face. His curly sideburns were supposed to be a dead giveaway, but he only noticed it now when he saw the man's clear face.

"Uncle Reborn!" Tsuna swung the door open.

The two men jerked their heads at the sudden interruption. The suited man dropped his arm down from his face as the other quickly turned around.

"Tsuna!" the blond man in the black robe jumped.

At the turn of his face, the hard masculine features of the priest finally wired into the brunette's brain.

"Dad?!" He couldn't believe it. It was a double surprise as he didn't even know that his father was in Japan. Wasn't he still supposed to be in Europe? "What are you doing here?!"

His eyes wavered at the sight of the person he hadn't seen in a year. His father gave him a warm smile and waved him over. A surge of happiness washed over the boy and he ran over as the priest gave him a monster bear hug.

"Ack!" his back cracked from the massive strength. "Too tight!"

The man gave a hearty laugh as he let him go.

"You've finally woken up! Are you feeling better?"

The brunette coughed as soon as he was free, his lungs reforming and regaining his ability to breath again.

"I-I'm okay," he wheezed.

His chest finally settled and he looked over to the man on the couch who turned quiet; the Italian watched him carefully as he stared. It was an odd expression but the suited man seemed to fit perfectly with the sleek leather couch, the cream colored walls, and the European styled furniture. Tsuna finally noticed the different feel of the foreign room.

"Your in your uncle's house," his father explained.

"Hm?" he perked up.

"He was the one that picked you up when your friend called. You've been sleeping here for days,"

"What?!"

His face flushed at what he was being told. He'd been sleeping at someone else's bed?!

The blond man ruffled his son's hair and faced the Italian.

"Thank you for taking care of him," he bowed and made Tsuna do the same.

"Uh... T-thank you!" the boy repeated. "Uncle Reborn!"

Reborn gave his lady killer smile at their gratitude but kept a modest attitude.

"It's fine. He's a son to me after all,"

Iemitsu nodded and looked back to the boy whose head he held in his hand. Suddenly, a loud pitched beeping broke into the air and his father took something from his pocket.

"I'm sorry," he looked at this flashing phone, "I have to take this,"

He looked at the other two apologetically and strutted out of the room to take the call. Tsuna watched him go as the few seconds with his always disappearing father ended; the door closed and he was left alone with the owner of the house.

With no one to lead him, the boy didn't know what to do. He stood there awkwardly waiting. Should he keep standing or should he sit down? He looked around the room for what to do, but the lingering feeling that he intruded in the foreign house kept him from making a decision. It was odd. Even though he knew his uncle ever since he was born, he was a close friend of the family after all, he'd actually never visited this home before. Waking up for his first time in the house seemed unsettling.

"Tsuna," Reborn called out to him.

The boy turned his gaze to the older man as he hinted at the spot next to him on the couch.

"Why don't you sit down?"

The relief of someone else deciding for him in what to do showed on his face. He gave a meek compliant nod and waddled over, his legs still shaky from not being used. His legs sunk in the cushion as he sat down and a hint of nostalgia bit him.

It was just like when he was a little kid; the mature person beside him sat like he always did – his legs crossed, his arms outstretched all host like across the top of the couch. In his memories, the image of the cool composed gentleman was always the same. Come to think of it, he had more memories of the Italian than his dad; Reborn took care of him more than his father did.

"Thank you again, for taking care of me," he gave another thanks.

His uncle gave a nod.

"Um, Uncle Reborn,"

"Hm?"

"Is my mom here too?"

The man suddenly looked tired. "No. She suffered a panic attack after hearing what happened to you. She's at the hospital,"

A horrified look painted the boy's face and the man turned to him brushing his palm across the brunette's messy bed hair.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine,"

The boy closed his eyes like a cat feeling a little better.

"Your friend's cousin called and said that you fainted at another school after a basketball game. She panicked at the call so I had to come take you. I called your father as soon as I got you,"

Tsuna tilted his head. "Friend's cousin?"

"Giotto's"

The name echoed in his head. _Giotto... _

There were bits of flashbacks of the past events that ignited in his mind but all he could remember was up to when Julie was injured. Is that when he fainted? Tsuna looked away from his father's friend trying to concentrate on what had happened. He tried to dig more into his memories when a burst of pain shot through his brain like a protective gate.

"Hn!" he flinched grabbing the side of his head.

Something wouldn't let him remember any further.

"Tsuna!" Reborn quickly held onto the teen; his sudden convulsion put him on alert. "What's wrong?"

The brunette's face twisted in pain not giving a reply. The Italian waited for him to calm down unable to do anything when a few moments passed and the boy finally eased.

"Does your head hurt?" Reborn tried to discern if it was finally okay to ask.

Tsuna gave a slow nod. "I... I can't remember..."

"Remember what?"

"What happened after the game,"

Reborn grew quiet with worry. Tsuna noticed the silence and felt the unspoken comfort the older man was giving him. _Uncle..._

"Hm?" the man looked at him. "Why are you smiling?"

The boy couldn't help it as his lips spread even wider. "Nothing," he shook his head, "it just feels like _you _seem more like my father,"

_Than my actual dad. _He didn't include the last part.

Going over what he just said, the brunette grew a shameful flush.

"I-I mean you're always there, and you spent a lot of time with me as a kid! I-I just... um..."

He racked his brain trying to figure out how to fix his blurp when the suited man grew impatient.

"Just say it,"

Tsuna bit his lip from the demanding voice to keep from stuttering.

"T-thank you, for taking care of me and letting me sleep at you house,"

He forced his eyes down to avoid eye contact so he couldn't see the man's reaction. Did he say it right? He grew the courage to look back up. A smirk planted on the Italian's face which somehow made him look pained. So he said it wrong? He felt the man's arm slide off the couch behind him as Reborn got up.

"Then you better thank me for lunch too,"

"Hm?" the brunette stood up following him.

"We're going to one of my favorite restaurants right now. You haven't eaten, right?"

…...

* * *

"Ah...ah... ah!"

Dino bit down the pain as his shoulder gave a loud crack. He hissed it silently trying to man up, but everyone else did the same; everyone was licking their wounds. All of them had congregated for a short meeting at the gym in a pissy mood since none of them could actually practice while grumbles of pain escaped each and every one of the members.

"I think I've been fouled too many times," he groaned as he switched to his other arm.

Enma laughed next to the vice-captain and punched his shoulder. "Haha – ow!"

The red head's own elbow cracked. The captain gave a goofy grin at bad karma.

"I can't believe we lost!" Gokudera screamed. "Those punks didn't even know how to play! Argh!"

The silver haired hot head rubbed his swollen cheek still red from the hit. This time, the whole team went along with their star player's complaining.

"Those guys were real asses," one of the jv members agreed. "They sprained my ankle!"

"Look at all my bruises!"

"Dude, I have a cut on my arm!"

"You guys think _you _have it tough," their goateed varsity player eyed all the complainers, "look at my eyepatch!"

All the ballers stopped talking and looked at the peeved red head, Julie's injury topping everyone else's, bringing them into a state of seething hate against the team from their latest match. In every member's mind, there was no way that Kokuyo deserved that win against them. The overtime was undeserved, and most of the points were due to fouling the Namimori team. The atmosphere in the room sunk into an ominous feel when their team's clown broke the brooding.

"Haha! Julie, you look like a pirate!" Naito grinned at him.

"What did you say?!" the injured teen pounced on the smaller boy and wrapped him in a choke hold.

"Gack!" Naito's throat squeezed, "I can imagine you saying 'arg!'... *cough... Try it... *cough *cough... Ack!"

His teammate only squeezed harder.

"Hey, Dino-san," Enma ignored the murder scene happening, "about the game. Shouldn't they have cancelled it from Kokuyo's behaviour? They attacked us first and basically broke every rule,"

Their vice-captain's face seemed to age the second the subject was mentioned. "Well, we're already talking to the coaches and the other people involved, but the Kokuyo coach won't admit it. Our coach already went over to the other school to see if any of their students would stand up and support that _their_ basketball team did instigate the fight,"

"Did anyone speak up?"

"Yeah, this one cheerleader girl," the bronco nodded.

Enma's brows went up. "Really? I thought no one would say anything since they love their basketball team over there. Kokuyo's pretty famous,"

"Me neither. But what's great is that she even had a recording of the game so they'll probably take out our loss and disqualify Kokuyo from competing. The video's only up to a few seconds after they fouled Julie, but I think that's evidence enough. The overtime that happened isn't as important,"

What he was saying was good news, but still, that didn't make up for all the damage they took. The blond looked around his circle of members and frowned at all their injuries.

"I wonder if Giotto and G are okay," Enma read his thoughts.

The vice-captain cast his eyes down. "I feel sorry for dragging them along when I knew that Kokuyo was going to be violent. Our last game with them was like that too," he sighed. "But I _have_ seen G since I'm in the floor with the third years, and he seems fine. I haven't seen Giotto though,"

"I heard he hasn't been coming to school,"

"Yeah," he looked at the red head. In both of their minds, the image of the elder of the pineapple brothers sneaking a hit on the back of the Italian's head haunted their conscience.

"I hope he'll be okay,"

…...

* * *

Seven days. It's been seven days, a whole week, since Giotto hasn't come to school.

The platinum blond looked up at the huge mansion as he entered. What has gotten into the spiky blond? It wasn't like him to be like this. It was more anger than worry that clouded the visitor as he made for a surprise visit.

The tall white gates opened as soon as the guards saw him and he easily made it past the front entrance. Two men opened the main doors and he was greeted by uniformed servants inside the house when one familiar butler walked up to him.

"Master Aluade," the wrinkled man with a graying moustache bowed to him. "What may your business here be?"

"I'm here to see Giotto," his blue eyes bit the old butler.

The servant stood firm. He knew Alaude already, and most of his old fears of the unpredictable teen had disappeared. The only side he had ever seen of the young man was his gentleness when he was with the spiky blond that they served; to him, there was no intimidation in the frosty glare.

"The master of the house does not wish to see anyone right now," he looked straight at the boy.

"That doesn't matter,"

Alaude shoved his way through, lightly pushing the old man aside.

"Sir! There are no guests allowed for the moment!"

The teen ignored him and headed for the stairs leading to the upper floors. Barely setting his foot on the first step, the man chasing him finally caught up.

"Sir!" a firm hand held his arm back.

The platinum blond was about to snap when a familiar voice called his name.

"Alaude?"

He stopped short of just glaring at the aged man before he ripped his hand off and looked up at the staircase. There, at the very top, was one of his own classmates.

"I was wondering when you'd be paying a visit," the handsome boy smiled.

The boy's shoulders calmed and the butler let go of him. He watched the Japanese walk down the steps to meet him until they were a few steps apart.

"Giotto doesn't want to see anyone right now," he repeated what the butler had said.

The blond's brow twitched. All he heard was the word "no" which pissed him off even more than when the servant had said it. Getting told twice was twice more than enough.

"You talked to him?" he gritted.

Asari didn't answer.

"Tch," the pale boy snapped his head at the useless question.

He stomped up the stairs ignoring their warnings when the dark haired teen spoke again.

"If you go up there, you would only make him not want to see you even more,"

Alaude gripped the waxed railings as he paused. Why did they want to stop him so badly?! He just wanted to see Giotto!

"What did Giotto say?" he refused to look back at his long time acquaintance.

"He didn't say anything to me, but he let me read his thoughts,"

_And he was thinking for everyone to stop me from seeing him?_ A bubble of jealousy welled up inside the blond. How could Asari see him, but he can't?!

"No," the other teen read his mind; he was obviously still using his invasive trump card of an ability. "But his thoughts are filled with confusion and worry,"

"If he needs help, then the more reason I should be next to him,"

This time, the platinum blond looked back down finding that Asari had been staring at him the whole time.

"He's worried about love," the dark haired teen somehow managed to keep a straight face.

The word "love" sounded as if it took more than a minute to form from the boy's mouth, and a pang of pain squeezed Alaude's chest. Love? If it's love, then he should be up there! He was about to turn and run up the stairs to the Italian's room.

"And Tsuna,"

The last words wrapped a string around the blond's legs. His nerves stopped him from moving at the mention of the name.

"Tsuna?" Alaude's face crumpled. Why would he mention that name? He took a moment to clear his head; his lips turning dry. "What does that kid have to do with anything?"

Love. His lover. Another person.

"Does he... love him?"

The sound of his dumbfounded voice even shocked the butler who knew about the eager boy's transparent feelings.

"What does it seem like to you?" the dark haired teen kept himself from scolding the blond's wrong reaction. "Do you think he's inlove with Tsuna?"

Forgetting that everyone could hear their raised voices, the servants on the floor scurried off to different rooms to avoid the scene. Asari waited for the boy's response but he just stood there at the top of the stairs looking up at the last step.

Truthfully, Alaude didn't know. Did Giotto love him? Has he even said that he loved him back?

No... The blond blinked. He hadn't said it. He had never said "I love you."

"Yes," he slowly turned around.

Asari's eyes widened. His friend's blue eyes were soulless. Alaude was naturally pale, but the blank look he had, his skin turned a lucid alabaster white.

"Yes, I think he does,"

Thinking back, Giotto never really chased him back either. So... was it just one sided? His knee bent to take a step down closer to the floor. Like a puppet, his legs took another, then another until he finally met the tiled bottom.

What did he come here for again?

…...

* * *

For some reason, Asari was getting angry. Not necessarily raging upset, but something seemed off. The youngest member of the committee, Lampo popped a bubblegum flavored candy in his mouth. Sweets somehow made him feel better.

"Mah, Asari, are you angry?" he took a moment to take the sweet from his mouth to speak.

The dark haired teen gave a sigh.

"What do you do when someone tells you the wrong answer? Do you tell them?"

Lampo didn't know what his friend was talking about.

"Yes?" he raised his brow.

"But what if it's not up to you to correct them?"

He didn't like where this was going. There was supposed to be some complicated answer to this and the curly haired boy didn't want to get involved.

"Get the person who _is _supposed to correct them, I guess. If they're the only one, then they're the only one,"

Asari turned away to the window. Lampo put the candy back in his mouth and watched his friend puzzled. The dark haired teen was already sitting at the window sill and now he was looking outside. If he wanted to go outside and not be in the classroom, then he should go outside, not block the air coming in.

Sitting at the teacher's desk because he can, Lampo shifted his gaze to his other friend at the back of the room. Their scarred red head isolated himself at the far corner of the room brooding about something or another.

"Hey," he called behind him to the muscular teen writing on the board.

"Yeah?" Knuckles stopped setting up the complicated math problem they were supposed to go over.

"Something's been wrong with G lately, don't you think?"

The other boy looked over his shoulder and turned to where he was looking. The red head they studied leaned back in his chair and dipped lower into his seat.

"He's been like that ever since the basketball game,"

The classroom door suddenly opened and the two boys jumped. A dark aura creeped into the room as their certain blue eyed, platinum blond vice-president walked in. A sweat mark dropped on the boys' faces as he dragged his feet in and slowly trudged to his seat.

"At least it's not as bad as that," Knuckles whispered.

Lampo noticed that Asari had turned his head back into the classroom to stare at Alaude. When the teen noticed that the curly haired boy was looking at him again, the dark haired student resumed to staring outside of the building.

"Ugh..." Lampo groaned not being able to handle the whole sulking thing, "What's wrong with everyone?"

…...

* * *

Ding. Dong. Dong.

Ah~ Music to his ears.

He just couldn't handle their depressing moods! He knew he was the youngest out of all of them so maybe he didn't get it, but that didn't mean he had to be trapped in their dilemma. He had tried talking to G – he wouldn't talk about it. He had tried talking to Asari – he didn't make any sense. He had tried talking to Alaude – he ignored him. (There was also that not-so-subtle hint that he might beat him up if the boy tried probing any further.) As for their committee president, he couldn't even get near Giotto seeing that the servants told him to stop trying to call and to not even try coming for visit. Knuckles was the only other normal one!

"Ah..." he let out a much needed sigh.

It must be the Catholic school. It must be messing with their minds; just the thought of being cooped up in a strict organization made him nauseous. He was never interested in religion anyways, but the pact with the humans came to an agreement that they had to congregate at an easily controlled and powerful establishment. Well, for the humans anyway. They believe that the Catholic priests could control them. He had to get away from it all.

He happily walked away from the small little community called Shinsei Namimori and every meter further he got lifted a load from his shoulders. Stripping off the school boy uniform as soon as he got to a fancy building in the most expensive part of the city, he coated himself for the night of sin. Lampo – the young charming host/ bartender/ waiter who, technically, was working illegally for being under-aged. But the company he worked for didn't know that.

He put on the slim fitted black pants and white collared shirt topped with a vest. Today, they assigned him to be the waiter of one of the company's more renowned restaurants. It was kind of boring being a waiter though; he'd rather be the bartender for the bar he worked for all last week where tips and gossip were the best. Being a waiter was the same as a host except the the clients you served gave you a bit more attitude and overall, being a host was so much more fun that you hang out with people - not be their dogs.

"Lampo!" one of his co-workers called out to him as he finished fixing his cuffs. "You're getting table 13! There's three people!"

"Okay!" he called over.

Lucky number 13 – first table of the night. This should be good. He hurried past the counter to get the menus and briskly walked to his assigned table. A few meters away, he could hear the three already.

"You said lunch, but it was already night time," a young voice spoke up. It sounded like he heard the person before.

"I said lunch? I meant dinner," a lower pitch answered the first speaker.

"Haha. You're still a night owl, aren't you? Did you sleep through the afternoon and loose track of time?" a different baritone joined the conversation.

The three voices continued to converse and as the young waiter got closer and closer to the table, a bad feeling rumbled in the pit of his stomach. _Oh God. _Every good sense the curly haired boy had screamed at him to pull back. _Walk back! Walk back! Tell the other guy to handle this!_

"Tsuna?" he almost dropped the menus.

The spiky haired boy sitting at his assigned table turned his head.

"Lampo-san!" the boy called back in the same surprise.

"What are you doing here?" he went up to the boy.

He hadn't seen the small teen ever since last week from the incident. Everyone had been thinking something bad happened to him since Giotto wasn't coming to school either, but what was the kid doing here? In his restaurant?! Shouldn't he be dying in bed?! Not dying – but something like that!

The curly haired boy looked at his customer amazed that he was okay.

"I haven't seen you in school, everyone's been worried about you!" he continued.

Tsuna gave an apologetic look. "Sorry. I just woke up today,"

"Huh?"

Just woke up?

"He's been asleep for the past few days," the person sitting next to the kid explained. "He's been sick,"

Lampo turned to see the man who just spoke and saw a buff blond with a short cut. His hard features and black wardrobe didn't match. Was he a priest? He unknowingly stared as he recognized the man. This was the guy taking care of Tsuna.

"Priest," he slipped out the name most vampires would call him by.

"A friend?" the man looked to the brunette.

"Yeah," the kid nodded.

The waiter forced out a smile. Okay... Work just started to suck. Apparently, he _can't _escape school.

"Lampo," another voice called to him. The tone sounded like a familiar.

As the young teen turned around, he immediately wished his eyes could unsee. The curly sideburns, the handsome face and dark eyes, the signature fedora – double fudge. Freakin' lucky number 13.

"Reborn-san," his palms grew sweaty. Hopefully, the nervousness didn't come through in his voice. "I didn't know you go to this restaurant,"

Cool and composed on the outside, his mind was about to jump from his head just to get away from this situation. The head of the Arcobaleno familia, what was going on?!

"I see you started working. Did the school approve that?"

The powerful man gave an evil smile sending a chill of uneasiness through the waiter's body and the Arcobaleno head loved it. Oh, cruel entity who's watching over him, please stop with the sadistic punishment! This was just for a little pocket money!

Lampo didn't answer but tilted his head playfully.

"Should we order?" the blond man interrupted them trying to help him out.

"Okay," Tsuna nodded. The boy picked up the menu and scrolled through the orders.

"Alright, what would you guys like?"

The curly haired waiter took out his pad and pen waiting, but the brunette's face kept growing darker and darker.

"I can't read any of this..."

Everything they listed were in Italian and the only thing the boy knew was Japanese.

"That's alright," the suited man across the table gently pressed the boy's menu down. "The waiter can tell us what's good. What would you recommend, waiter?"

The slick grin on the arcobaleno's face kept reappearing. It was lucky number 13.

…...

* * *

"You're not hungry?" his father turned to him.

"Hm?" Tsuna looked up. He gave a weak smiled and dropped his fork. "I guess not,"

"You have to build up you strength, son!" the man patted his back, "You haven't eaten in days!"

Somehow, he just didn't want the Veal Marsala in front of him, or whatever it was. It just didn't seem that appetizing.

Reborn eyed him like he was studying his every movement and it felt like his uncle wanted to say something. The man didn't eat either, he was just playing around with his wine as they both watched his father eat.

"If you're not feeling it, then maybe we should get dessert,"

Used to the social events, the suited man signaled for their water and the green haired teen quickly came over.

"We're ready for dessert,"

Reborn continued talking to Lampo, but he just tuned him out. For some reason, Tsuna just couldn't pay attention. He had a hard time focusing as he watched his plate get taken away. He tried taking a sip of his water to wake him up but his throat remained parched. It felt... dry.

His uncle kept a watchful eye on him as he picked up his cup of dark wine again. The rosewood colored liquid circled in the glass as the man swirled it around. The brunette watched as he played with his beverage getting captivated by the deep dark color.

Clink. Tsuna snapped his eyes awake.

"Your desserts," their waiter smiled at them.

The green haired teen set the small cream coated plates in front of each diner along with their utensils. Finally, the waiter carefully took the huge tiramisu cake from his cart and set it on the table.

"From the owner," he explained. "He said he'd like to give thanks to one of his regulars,"

Lampo's and Reborn's eyes locked as the young man referred to the suited man. The older of them looked as if he wanted to say something but kept it in as he took a sip of his wine and the waiter just tried his best to ignore it. The curly haired boy grabbed the long cutting knife for the cake and as he was about to stab the sweet, Reborn quickly called his name.

"Lampo,"

"Hm?" the sharp voice startled him. He jumped too much and the waiter accidentally cut himself. "Ahh!"

The young teen hissed at his own mistake. Quickly dropping the knife, he squeezed his left hand where he made the cut.

Tsuna stared at his senior's misfortune as he bit his lip forcing himself not to scream from the pain or else he'd disturb all the other customers. It was deep. The dark red liquid fluidly slipped through both the boy's hands as he tried to stop the bleeding and somehow, Tsuna was amazed by it. The beautiful color, the grace as it dripped down the boy's wrists staining the white cuffs of his shirt.

The brunette absently reached for Lampo's hands and kissed it. His tongue reached deep between the crevices between his fingers and the green haired waiter let out a horrified look. The metallic taste barely tingled his taste buds when the older boy pulled away.

"Tsuna!" he looked at his lower classman in disbelief.

The shrill shock in his voice slapped the brunette back to reality.

"What?" the boy shook his head. He didn't know what he was doing.

Tsuna looked around the table confused as the older men studied him. Did he do something? He shifted his eyes to their waiter and saw a red stream oozing from his hand.

"Lampo!" he reached for the older boy's hands again. "You're bleeding!"

The green haired teen didn't reply.

"You should get that bandaged," Reborn cut in.

The injured boy was a little shaky as he nodded and took his leave. Tsuna watched as he left to the back room not getting what just happened.

"Still thirsty?" his uncle brought him back to the table.

"A little bit," Tsuna smiled.

There was a little satisfaction tingling his tongue. Still, the water he drank didn't quench his throat. It wanted another drink.

…...

* * *

"To the baseball team and their fifth straight win in the season!"

"Yeah!"

The guys gave a toast as they cheered and clanked their drinks together.

The guy next to him chugged his drink and threw his arm around Yamamoto.

"Ah~" he let out a refreshed breath, "I'm glad you changed your mind, Yamamoto,"

He finished chugging his drink too and smiled.

"Yeah, well, my plans got cancelled,"

"Mhn, your girlfriend ditched you, huh?" his friend teased.

"It's more of a family issue,"

"What? What's the problem? The dad has a gun?"

The baseball star gave a moment and thought about it. "Yeah. I think he'll shoot me,"

The guys who heard burst out laughing and hit the table. Good thing they booked a private room in the restaurant so no one else heard their monkey laughter.

"Good luck to you!" one of his other teammates raised his glass. "The baseball god may have blessed you, but the goddess of love, not so much,"

Yamamoto laughed at their kick back attitude. He was wishing the goddess would bless him too.

"Hey, Honjou," he turned to the guy whose arm was resting on him.

"Yeah?"

"How did you get this place? This restaurant is in one of the most expensive districts in the city,"

"Hmn, well, my aunt actually is the manager of this place so I was able to get us a discount. I mean, we just won against the team who ranked number three in the last season, and that's enough reason to celebrate. Yeah!"

"Yeah!" the other guys heard him cheer and followed along. Whenever one of the guys ever said "yeah," they all just repeated it even if they didn't know what it was about.

"You know," his friend continued, "Namimori was just a boring school before. It excelled in its science department, and sports wasn't really encouraged. We don't get the best of players so we could never continue the season, but ever since you came along, we've been doing well."

"Sempai," the dark haired teen chuckled to where the senior member was getting it.

"No it's true! Because of you, we actually made it this far! We've never made it this far! Tell you what," the older boy poked his chest. Was his friend getting drunk off of soda?

"What?" he played along.

"Since you've done so much for the team, I'll tell you my secret,"

"Secret?" he smiled shaking his head, "It's okay. I don't want to know your secret, sempai,"

"No, no, no, no!" the boy shook his hand. "My _secret_."

He looked deep into Yamamoto's eyes and when he thought the older boy was going to be serious, Honjou started to giggle. Okay, his sempai was drunk.

"I know this place in the park that nobody knows about. It's totally secluded, and all the times I went there, there was no one else there. It's clean, it's got this really good view of the lake and a clear view of the sky, totally amazing. I've only taken a few girls up there, and they tell me that they always love it. Trust me,"

"I trust you," the dark haired teen nodded.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah,"

"Alright then," his senior went back to being serious. He leaned close to his junior's ears and whispered the secret location of the sacred spot. When he was done, he quickly pulled away. "I now officially give that spot to you. It's been my spot for years, now it's yours. Promise me you'll take your girl there and I will promise you that once she sees that spot, you won't have to worry about daddy's bullets,"

"What?" Yamamoto laughed. He wasn't following any of this.

What did that have to do with the dad's bullets? He was pretty sure if he took Tsuna to that spot, he'd get shot. No. He'd die.

"Promise me," his senior degraded to the puppy dog eyes. "Take your lover to the secret place, man. Take them to the spot."

He didn't want to answer and just smiled awkwardly instead.

"Yeah, Yamamoto?"

The boy kept being persistent and shaking him. After a few nudges, he finally gave in.

"Yeah, I promise," he made a white lie.

His friend dropped his mouth happily. "Yeah?"

"Yeah,"

"Yeah!" the whole team cheered hearing the magical word again.

The guys in his team were so simple. If his life was like baseball, living would be so much easier.

…...

* * *

After eating so much and drinking so much, they finally finished up and got up to leave.

"Man~ that was good!" Yamamoto stretched his arms as they walked outside the restaurant.

The other guys put up their hoodies as it was getting cold and shoved their hands in their pockets.

"Hey," he looked up across the street. "Is that a new restaurant?"

The building had a bright yellow glow from the lighting inside. The height of the multistory establishment was so huge.

"No, but it got taken over by a new manager a year ago so the place changed," one of his friends answered. "It used to be a studio, but they changed it into a restaurant or something. There's supposed to be an Italian floor, but all the places there are overpriced."

"Too rich for our blood," one of the guys whistled.

"Hey guys!" their coach yelled out from a far off distance. "You guys want a ride or what?"

"Ah! Coming!" the boys yelled running over to the rest of the group.

Most of them couldn't drive yet so they had to split up into three different cars – Yamamoto falling into the group with the coach's car. The adult led them down the street to the building for the parking lot as they hurried out of the cold.

"Hey Yamamoto," their coach looked back at him.

"Yeah?"

"Is your arm okay? I know you insisted on playing so I let you, but did your wound reopen?"

"A little bit," the dark haired teen admitted.

"You're injured?" one of the boys walked closer to him; he was a freshman like him and a new recruit. "I didn't know. Can I see?"

Yamamoto rolled up his right sleeve to show the bandaged arm.

"I have a cut up to here," he traced the wound from the middle of his forearm up to his elbow.

"Woah. How did you get that? Were you in a fight with gangsters or something?"

He laughed at his teammate's wild fantasies and rolled the sleeve down.

"Dos it hurt?" the boy squished the injured arm.

"Ow!" he flinched his elbow away.

His hurt reaction caused mischievous grins onto the other guys that were also catching a ride.

"You guys!" he warned them.

His team mates didn't listen and dived at the already injured boy.

"Ow!" a bunch of scrawny fingers went at him at once.

One of them, luckily, was a senior member and pulled the guys off of the victimized teen.

"Stop!" the older boy sounded pissed.

The coach helped separate the idiotic members away and gave Yamamoto some space.

"Are you okay?" the man looked at the injured teen.

The dark haired boy rolled his sleeves up again and a red blotchy line seeped into the bandages hidden underneath.

"Hmn..." a low grumble came out of Yamamoto's throat.

The coach glared at the younger members seeing the damage. "You guys are getting drilled next practice,"

"But coach!"

The senior smacked his teammates for being dumb as they realized what they've done.

"Make it the whole week," the older boy was really angry at his juniors. He was one of those people that took any type of assaults seriously.

The baseball star didn't really mind that his friends were messing around, but that meant his cuts would have to heal for a longer time. He gave a disappointed sigh. Besides, he was going to sneak into the Arcobaleno house later. He needed his body to heal as fast as he can so he could run away as fast as he can as soon as he got Tsuna.

Yeah, Asari told him not to go and "daddy's bullets" were always an issue BUT he wanted to see Tsuna. How many times did he have to say it?

"Yamamoto?"

See? He wanted the brunette so bad, he could hear him calling his name.

"Yamamoto,"

The boy that he missed spoke again. It was like he was there in front of him.

"Hey," someone nudged his side.

"We're here already?" he looked around the parking lot.

He turned to his friend who motioned his head to look the other way.

"What?" he turned to where the boy was pointing.

His mouth dropped as he saw the image of the brunette standing at the next car over. Next to the sleek black sports car besides their rusty van was the boy he was planning to kidnap.

"Tsuna?"

His disbelieving breath blew into the cold air creating a white cloud.

"Yamamoto!" the small boy ran over and hugged him.

He stood there in shock as the slim arms wrapped around his waist. When the squeeze was over, the boy still hadn't let go and instead just looked up at him; the chocolate brown eyes taking a peek to see his face.

Was he hallucinating? Tsuna was in a formal dark collared shirt, all dressed up, and hugging him right now. He refused to believe this fairy tail until he looked back to the black Lamborghini. Two scary looking men stared at him and it finally clicked. The one on the left was a priest, and the one on the right was a suited man with curly sideburns.

It actually just connected when he looked at the swirls of the black sideburns. Right in front of him was the head of the Arcobaleno familia! He slowly looked back down to the boy that was hugging him. _And this is Tsuna. _

Somehow, Yamamoto could just feel the seconds of the life he had left begin to tick away. Wasn't this the moment he was waiting up for? To grab his friend and just run away? A sharp glare pierced at him and he was pretty sure it was coming from the more dangerous looking man standing a few feet away from him. His sempai's words at the restaurant suddenly echoed in his brain.

_Take your lover to the secret place, man. Take them to the spot._

The park. He needed to get to the park.


	6. Take Me Away to Ecstacy

A/N : This is probably long overdue and I'm sorry you had to read so many chapters before this actually happened to here, please enjoy. I'll probably include a hell lot more of explanation on the next chapter. I'm probably going to explain the reason for everything on the next one since there are so many holes in the story Q_Q Please enjoy~

* * *

**~Sweetness~**

**Chapter 6 - Take Me Away to Ecstacy**

* * *

The park. He had to get to the park.

"Tsuna," Yamamoto smiled gently at the boy before him. "What are you doing here?"

He slowly unwrapped the brunette's arms around him so he could see the other's face more clearly.

"My uncle took us out to dinner," he answered.

"Here?"

"Yeah,"

Obviously, here in the district where they were. Why else would they be here? His question sounded dumb, but he was still surprised to see Tsuna sooner than he planned.

"Another friend?" the priest asked behind them.

His friend turned back and nodded.

Damn. The blond speaking up, it just made him notice the two Tsuna came with even more. This was real. Atleast, he didn't have to sneak into the Arcobaleno house anymore, but still... Yamamoto couldn't do it here could he? The mere touch of the smaller boy's arms sent his suppressed desires to explode inside of him. His daydreams about stealing Tsuna – he had the boy in his grasp already.

Yamamoto's eyes shifted between his friend's two escorts. His opponents were right in front of him, and he was outnumbered. Disadvantaged, he studied the two men near the black car like they were bodyguards. If he wanted to take Tsuna now, it was impossible to do it right in front of them.

"Tsuna," he tugged on the smaller boy's arm, "can I talk to you?"

"Hm?" his crush used his cute brown eyes again. The baseball jock held the other's hand tightly and the brunette caught his drift. "Sure," he nodded and turned back to his father and uncle for permission. "Can I?"

"Of course," the priest smiled.

The uncle didn't give such quick and soft reply. The suave arcobaleno eyed the baseball teen suspiciously making the boy actually feel suspicious. When the sharp eyes flashed red, the man quickly tore his eyes away closing them and headed over to his car.

"Make it quick," he got into the sleek Lamborghini.

The two boys bowed their heads lightly in thanks, relieved he actually said yes.

"I'm sorry," Yamamoto turned to his teammates, "It'll just be a second,"

The guys shook their heads like it was no problem.

"Go ahead," the coach waved his hand. "We'll wait."

Nodding in thanks again, Yamamoto pulled Tsuna closer to him as they headed off to a more private place. Taking the lead, he pushed their steps towards the exit of the parking lot and out of the building. As soon as they returned to the streets, the dark haired teen tightened his hold on the other's shoulder and sped up their pace.

…...

* * *

"Who was that kid?" the coach watched his student walk out the building.

"That's the guy he hangs with a lot," one of the boys answered. "They're best friends or something, but I always see them together,"

A buzzing came from the kid's pocket and he reached for his phone.

"Hey, I got a text from Yamamoto,"

"Hm?" everyone turned their heads.

Catching all their attention, Iemetsu listened carefully as well as the boy read the message; the kid made a face.

"He says that we can leave with out him,"

The group of jocks got quiet.

"But didn't he need a ride?" the coach shared everyone's confusion. "How is he going to get home? Text him how he's going to get back. I don't want to be responsible if he gets lost,"

The priest somehow got a bad feeling about this. He looked over to Reborn in his car and was about walk over when the suited man was tapping his fingers against the wheel.

_One. Two. Three..._

"Reborn!" he called out.

The black sports car suddenly lit up and and screeched as it pulled out of the parking space. The priest moved out of the way as the arcobaleno positioned his car and gawked at what the heck was going on.

"Woah!" the kids next to the van stumbled back.

"Watch it!"

He could see the man switch gears behind the tinted windows and he immediately called out again.

"Reborn!" he screamed chasing after the speeding car as it raced out the building.

…...

* * *

"I'm glad I got to see you," Tsuna looked up at him. "But why are we heading out of the building?"

Yamamoto didn't say anything as he ignored the vibration near his hip. His coach was probably just asking him why he told them to leave.

"Yamamoto," the other boy called his name again.

He pushed the brunette to go faster as the nervousness in his stomach grew worse. Every step they made just made his palms even sweatier. His lips tightened as he looked ahead – almost there at the next block. Almost there...

A loud screech of tires gliding across the concrete screamed behind them. Damn it! Yamamoto let go of his grip on Tsuna's shoulder and grabbed his hand instead.

"Hurry!" he broke into a sprint.

His friend stumbled behind him confused.

"Yamamoto! Where are we going?!"

He could feel the smaller boy slow down as he looked back at the car chasing after them. _Don't stop! _He sacrificed holding the brunette's hand and scooped him up instead. They couldn't afford to get caught!

"Yamamoto!" the small boy kicked.

He ignored it and and just kept running as the adrenaline pumped in his veins. They needed to outrun a _car. _Tsuna eventually stopped fidgeting and naturally wrapped his arms against the athlete's neck so he wouldn't fall.

"Just close your eyes," he managed to breath out. He wanted this to be easier on his crush than he was making it so he wouldn't get scared.

He kept his eyes straight ahead but he could feel the other's head against his chest snuggle a little closer; the simple movement sending a smile on the dark haired teen's face. _I'm definitely taking you to sempai's spot!_

…_..._

* * *

Reborn twisted the wheel and jerked his car off to the side; a pleased smirk planted on his face. Scooping up Tsuna into his arms, that was definitely a surprise. He skidded to a stop and got out of the car as he watched the dark haired teen run off with the brunette; a soft breath let out silently from him.

Pedestrians in the streets gave him freaked looks from his short speeding stunt, but it was worth it. He stood there leaning with his car door open; his arm resting on top of the roof of the car as he waited for Iemetsu to catch up. A few seconds later, a heavy panting crept up behind him.

"Reborn!" the blond finally arrived. "What were you thinking?"

He let the man catch his breath as he made sure he caught the last glimpse of the kidnapper disappear.

"I can't make it look like I'm soft, now can I?"

The priest raised his brows at his impulsive act for image and Reborn shook his head guessing exactly what Iemetsu was thinking.

"It's not for image," he corrected him. "I just like the scared faces they make,"

The arcobaleno nudged his head signaling for the other to get in. This time, the blond shook his head.

"You know that's Tsuna's best friend – he's come over at the house a lot, right? Your way of testing people is so brutal," he opened the passenger door.

The suited man shrugged. "I like it,"

…...

* * *

They've actually been running for a while, but why were they running from his dad and uncle?! He'd been wishing for Yamamoto to let go already but they kept on going. It kinda felt like his friend was stealing him rather than going for a "talk." The way everything was going, Tsuna was starting to suspect this actually wasn't a talk.

There were lots of trees and flower bushes that they ran through, the prickly leaves picking at him making his skin itch as they disappeared from the city and into some more secluded place. Coming by a high wooden fence, the dark haired teen finally let go and led him to a hidden hole behind two pale trees. The boy went through first and then stuck out his hand for the brunette to grab.

"Follow me," he waited for Tsuna to take his hand.

Trusting him, Tsuna went along and locked his fingers with the other teen as he got pulled along.

"Where are we going?" he repeated the same question really wishing it was answered.

They snuck through the dark leafy branches while Tsuna was left pondering when Yamamoto didn't reply. As they got deeper and deeper into what looked like a garden, a light phlox purple flush tinted the surrounding plants. The brunette looked around getting lost in the surrounding as only a small amount of moonlight guided them; it was kind of pretty the way the faint light bounced off the beautiful plants. Not paying attention, he kept on going and bumped into the taller teen who stopped.

"Ack," the brunette stumbled back and the other caught him, rough hands wrapping around his waist.

Tsuna looked up and saw that Yamamoto was breathing hard; a bead of sweat ran down to his neck as a captivating glow of yellow filled the taller teen's eyes. The muscular chest heaved up and down as he took deep breaths trying to regain the oxygen he lost, and the brunette felt himself getting still as they fell into a deep stare.

"Are you okay," he placed his hand on the beating chest, "Yamamoto?"

The dark haired teen suddenly hugged him tightly as if he was going to run away.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you,"

Tsuna could smell the musky scent of the other as they pressed against each other. Yamamoto exhaled a deep breath which blew against his ears and the brunette suddenly got himself feeling hot.

"I mean, I wanted to have you by myself. Everyone's been hogging you and I couldn't see you for a week,"

The words just made the brunette heat up even more. There wasn't anyone hogging him! What was his friend saying?! Tsuna turned his head in embarrassment and noticed the sparkling lake illuminated by the blue moon. A warm feeling engulfed his whole body and the thirst he had earlier returned.

"Tsuna," Yamamoto gently pulled back, "do you still have my ring?"

The boy looked at him puzzled. Suddenly, it him.

"Oh, your ring!" Tsuna pushed back a little for some space and dug into his pocket. "Yeah, I do. I found it in my pocket when I was changing, but I don't even know why I have it,"

He presented the silver metal with the blue stone but Yamamoto's face seemed odd.

"What do you mean, you don't know why?"

His words had somehow hurt him. Caught in an awkward predicament, the brunette didn't feel easy telling the truth.

"I don't remember you giving it to me,"

He just cut deeper at the wound as the taller boy scrunched his brows. The ring must've meant something to the other as a pained look filled his friend's expressions.

"But I _gave _it to you,"

Tsuna's mouth lightly parted not knowing what to say. There was something very important that he was missing in his memories. The yellow eyes looked at him intently and he shook his head.

"You mean, it's mine?" Tsuna tried to smile awkwardly. He cast his eyes down to the blue stone on the palm of his hands.

The other teen didn't answer but kept the hurt look.

"Then t-thank you, Yamamoto!" he quickly slipped on the ring onto his left hand. "I mean, it's nice!"

The baseball jock kept quiet brushing his actions off as just an attempt to make him smile. He looked away empty, his voice laced with disappointment.

"You don't remember what I said to you,"

He tugged on the boy's sleeves. "Yamamoto,"

He wasn't doing this to cover up what important thing he forgot; what important thing that happened. He truly was happy. A regret hit his heart as he started wishing that he actually remembered what occurred between them – the reason why he was able to get the ring.

"I don't know what I did to deserve your ring, but I'm happy,"

Tsuna reached for his friend's arm and wrapped his own around it.

"Because it's yours,"

He looked up to see if his words cut again, but the dark haired teen finally returned to looking at him again. A sweet smile lit up on the brunette's face seeing that the other stopped ignoring him.

"But what I said to you," the other boy was still regretful. Tsuna still didn't know.

"Then can you say them to me again?" he hugged Yamamoto's arm tightly feeling the slim muscles. The baseball player's nice build made him want to run his fingers through the sleeve.

…...

* * *

A second time. He had to do it another time.

He planted his feet firmly on the ground and held the brunette's face with his free hand to steady it making sure that Tsuna was looking directly at him. He had no problems confessing a second time if that meant that the other boy would listen.

"I love you, Tsuna,"

The brown haired boy gave him the same surprised look he made the first time when he said the three sacred words next to his name. The heat on Tsuna's face and the warmth radiating out of his small hands against his arm forced him to break the silence. Yamamoto leaned in for a kiss releasing all his passion that still burned alive at its climax.

Every time their lips touched, a sweet intoxicating fragrance penetrated through his senses making him dig deeper into each kiss. Through his hot passion, an unanswered question still nagged at the back of Yamamoto's mind causing him to pull away.

"Do you love me?" he looked at the small boy tangled in his embrace.

Tsuna took the moment to catch his own breath as a lasting blush colored his face. True. They've only been close friends up to now, but surely there was something that was more intimate between them?

"Yeah, I-I do,"

A shock traveled through Yamamoto's mind. He thought he would avert his eyes away, but the brunette looked him straight in the eye; his brown eyes seeing through him. A smile spread across the eager lover's face and he went back in for a gentle kiss.

"Thank you, for loving me back,"

That was the only gentle kiss he was going to give as his passion took the better of him – his kisses turning wild. There was no way he could let the brunette know how long he'd been longing for this. To feel Tsuna trapped in his arms and touching him, it was a sweet coated bliss. He was planning to use his tongue when the smaller boy began to lick his lips instead and he eased back; any more, he would've started biting. An overwhelming heat started to rub against his body as the brunette started to warm up.

"Yamamoto," Tsuna pulled away. "It feels too hot,"

The boy's fingers began to dig into his arm and he had to lightly peel the boy's hands away.

"Sorry," the dark haired teen apologized, "but I have a cut there,"

"A cut?" Tsuna looked at him worried that he might've unknowingly done something wrong. "Did I hurt you?"

The brunette insisted to take a look at the possible damage. Yamamoto didn't want to, but he rolled up his sleeves anyway.

"Here," he showed the bloodied bandage.

It was a wrong move as a crease furrowed on the boy's forehead.

"It looks bad,"

"It's not as bad as you think it is,"

Tsuna wouldn't stop looking. "Can I look at it?"

The taller teen raised his brows – but he was already looking at it. The brunette picked at the tape holding the wrapping together and he just couldn't say no. Yamamoto peeled off the tape and undid the bandages revealing the exposed red, raw flesh.

"How did you get cut?!" the alarm in the small boy's voice got higher as he saw the depth of the wound.

_Someone's claws, _the boy remembered the fight he had with Daemon. But if Tsuna didn't remember his first confession, then maybe he didn't remember the fight with the blue haired beast either.

"An accident in the kitchen," he lied not wanting to make the brunette relive the nightmare, "I accidentally cut myself with a knife,"

The smaller teen softly traced his fingers along the line of the cut tickling the open scar.

"It's nothing," he tried to make the issue light.

Tsuna wouldn't let go of his focus as blood started to seep out again. Carrying his crush all those miles wasn't the best of his ideas, and it took a toll on his body reopening the wound. Without an oath ring, Yamamoto couldn't heal as fast as he possibly could. All of his abilities were locked in the silver metal now on Tsuna's left hand and he was now parred with a normal human's capabilities.

The brunette placed his lips against Yamamoto's forearm where the cut began sending a tingling up to Yamamoto's brain.

"Tsuna!" he tried to pull away, but the boy held onto his arm tight.

With both hands, he made the dark haired teen keep still as he licked the oozing red liquid away. The brunette slowly made his way up to Yamamoto's elbow where the cut ended making sure that he sucked every place dry. A sweet sensation filled him as he watched the small boy drain him, his senses weakening from the wicked touch and exotic scent being emanated into the air.

It was the same sweet scent he missed that marked the brunette. His bleeding stopped, and Tsuna pushed his arm away.

"It's too hot," the boy began breathing heavy.

Yamamoto cupped his hands against Tsuna's face so he could see his expressions clearly and found the boy sweating. When he opened his eyes, the chocolate brown irises were swallowed by a honey coated glow similar to that of Giotto's. Through his hands, he could feel that the brunette's body temperature sky rocketed above normal temperatures and into boiling. Tsuna rubbed his cheeks against Yamamoto's hands with a messy look, his face worn.

"Tsuna!" a warning sounded inside the taller teen's head.

Looking so alive just seconds ago, the smaller boy started to droop into a sleep like state as his temperature burned even hotter. The impassioned lover wrapped his arms tightly around the near fainting boy to keep him from falling as he looked around trying to find something that'll help him. With just one turn, the broad clear waters of the lake beside them opened its body to them.

Quickly thinking, Yamamoto stripped of his shirt and unbuttoned the dark dress shirt of the other. He threw their clothes aside and with Tsuna held firmly in his arms, they jumped into the lake.

He closed his eyes as the stream of cold water jetted past his face. As soon as they stopped sinking deeper into the water, the athletic teen opened them to a dark abyss of darkness just below. He flipped his body around and found the dim rays of moonlight just above and swam towards it. Trying to go up, something tugged him back down. A sharp object had snagged the hem of the brunette's pants and he cursed silently in his head. Running out of air, the teen quickly undid the the boy's belt and slipped his pants off. As soon as it was out of the way, he made for the surface.

Breaking into open air again, he gasped for something to fill his lungs, relieved to breath again. He shook off the water dripping from his hair obscuring his view and looked to the boy he carried in his arms. He wiped of the brown strands clinging against the other's face.

"Tsuna," he shook his body trying to wake him. "Tsuna!  
…...

* * *

Asari walked around the veranda of his house thinking. It was kinda late, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. As he made a turn, something shuffled behind the tree and he caught a glimpse of a leg. _Someone was trying to kill him again. _

Ignoring the intruder, he headed back into his room as he kept a guest waiting. The person inside the house called for his more immediate attention more than a weak, thirsty young blood that didn't know what he was doing.

He slid the door open to his bedroom and found his red headed friend.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he went in and sat down.

G looked away tired. His eyes sharpened at his guest's attitude but calmed seeing that this was the reason he invited the other for. Asari was getting mad too, and it seemed like the reason they were both upset needed to be cleared or else the hostile attitude would keep up. He especially made sure that they talked into his room for this rather than the usual guest-receiving room he would have rather otherwise usually invite him over, but the matter at hand was private.

"What did you call me here for?" the red head got to the point.

It was obvious the stubborn teen didn't want to talk.

"It seems like something is bothering you. Care to talk about it?"

"No," came the gruff answer.

"It really troubles me when your holding something back, G. Especially when you've been giving Yamamoto looks for the past week whenever you see him,"

"I don't have a problem as long as he keeps to himself,"

There it was – the attitude that irked him.

"What is it exactly that you want to keep him from doing?"

A troubled frown settled on the the red head's face as he refused to answer.

"G," he urged the other to talk.

"Tsuna needs to be with a pure blood. Yamamoto can't protect him when he's just a kid. He has no power,"

"Power?" the Japanese raised his brow, "power from what?"

A gruff look now molded into the other teen's face; his lips tweaked tight from not wanting to answer. For him, he was forcing every word out just to answer Asari's questions.

"G," he nudged him again.

The pure blood gave him a longing stare and he finally broke.

"To keep him from getting hurt!" there was a pain in his friend's eyes that stretched back to three years ago.

The dark haired teen drew back finally getting it. He was comparing Tsuna's situation to what happened to him with Daemon back in middle school! What was he thinking?! Did he really think the same incident was going to repeat with Tsuna? He shook his head.

"G," Asari reached out his hand. The troubled red head only pushed it away.

"You know that I love you right? And that I'm safe?"

The other boy refused to look at the comforting royal heir to the Asian family; his wavering eyes locked at the moon outside through he open door.

"Because of you, I'm safe,"

"No," G shook his head. "Because of Giotto, you are safe. Drinking your blood, he performed the ritual so the scent you gave off disappeared. Stray vampires don't come to your bedroom anymore. You have been 'accepted' by the other families because of Giotto,"

What was this nonsense?! Asari leaned himself close to the red head surprising him so that he fell on his back. Quickly grabbing for anything that might stop him, G reach for the dark haired teen's shoulder and dragged him down with him. A loud thud hit the red head's back as he met the tatami floors and he found himself trapped underneath the pureblood.

"Don't you like the way I smell anymore?"

Underneath a shameful desire, Asari wished that he still smelled like the addicting blueberries. G closed his eyes tilting his head back.

"Get off," he patted the teen's chest hovering over him to stop.

Still, he didn't budge. "Giotto wasn't there when I was attacked,"

"Neither was I," G retorted.

The pureblood looked at him hurt.

"I didn't help you, Asari. I was too late,"

That was it. He didn't want to hear anymore. None of this wallowing and regret were good for anything. The dark haired teen pulled himself away and stood up heading out of his bedroom.

"Asari," G sighed as he watched the boy leave.

The pureblood ignored him as he shuffled out the house.

"Asari!" the red head stumbled to get up and follow the other outside.

Something ticked the usually calm teen off, and the one who caused him to be so didn't even know it. He kept calling the pureblood's name but he wouldn't turn back to answer. They were a good distance away from the palace like house with the confused teen still following the other, when G saw something move up above them. The streets were dim and minimal light showed, but something was hiding up at the branches. When Asari reached the suspicious trees, a dark flash jumped out of the leaves heading down to the unbeknownst vampire.

"Watch out!" G yelled as he rushed to push Asari aside.

The dark haired teen stumbled back as he saw a sickly pale young blood get beaten by the worry wart of the student committee. A red fiery blaze set in his friend's eyes as he killed the young blood with a heavy blow to the chest. Worried that he'd get too worked up, Asari gently stopped the red head's bloody fists and calmed him down. The pureblood's hand twitched and a gentle blue fire lit up in his hands as he set the attacker on fire; light blue ashes fluttered into the air.

The scars on G's face began to act up again as anger stirred restlessly in his bloody fists, his fingers digging deep into his palms as he tried hard to refrain himself.

"What was that?" he gritted his teeth.

"I always have attackers every night," Asari made sure to study his friend's face as he came to a realization.

The people who came after him didn't stop just because his scent was gone; he was still a tasty royal blood – his blood still being one of the purest after all.

Facts of reality he didn't know washed over the red head. "I didn't know..." he unclenched his fists.

Asari looked away guilty that he actually planned for the young intruder to attack while G was watching.

"Because you stopped protecting me, you didn't know,"

…...

* * *

Every pure blood needed an Alaude, that's what he had thought, but he stopped even trying to be a person of importance. He thought that if he'd just stay by Asari's side, it'd be okay, but he wasn't even protecting him – only hurting him. Where had his prospects gone?

"I didn't know," guilt started to warm over him.

He didn't continue as he knew that the simple "I'm sorry," wouldn't suffice.

"Alaude isn't a pure blood, but Giotto seems to be just fine with that," Asari let his gaze wander to the floating blue ash, the little specks imitating fireflies with its unnatural glow.

The two kept still as G watched the pureblood daze off. It was a fact that he wasn't capable enough to completely protect Asari from every danger. Alaude could very well be a pure blood with the amount of crazy strength that the blond possessed. The red head thought that he could compare with the aloof blue eyed teen, but Daemon very well proved that he couldn't. He was still an ignorant kid when he had thought that. How could he let himself believe that he could ever be good enough when control slipped out of his hands those three years ago?!

A scrunch crumpled the dark haired teen's face.

"Can you stop thinking that way?" Asari almost begged. "If I let some pureblood take your place, do you think I would be happy? Would you be satisfied?"

A prick of shock pushed the red head back remembering that the other could read his mind. When G didn't answer, the dark haired teen turned his head, his sharp eyes looking at him longingly. G's body couldn't move; the pureblood tore his eyes away closing them and ran up to him.

"For once, can't you have enough confidence to let yourself stand by my side?!"

Arms wrapped around the scarred teen's neck, and he just couldn't believe it. He could feel the handsome boy's breath as he dug his face close to his ears so he could hear every word properly – Asari wanted him to understand.

"Why can't you guys just let yourself believe that purebloods don't have to be with another pureblood? Don't you think we should be able to choose who we decide to love?"

G couldn't read the other's thoughts but for the first time, he was finally able to see other what the other felt through their tight embrace.

"G, I love you,"

Were those words too much for him to bear? Love...

The red head found that he was able to lift his arms – he could do something with them; they weren't useless. He wrapped the long appendages around the pureblood relieved that they could serve a purpose. The slim back, he felt the seductive body as he ran his hand up and down against the other trying to give assurance.

_I get it, Asari. I get it._

He was just sorry it took so long.

Asari suddenly took G by the hand.

"Where are we going?!" the red head suddenly found himself being dragged by the other.

The smooth handsome face of his lover turned back with a new shinning brilliance – determination matted in the dark eyes. "There's somebody else that needs to understand what you just learned,"

The recently graduated student of love was still confused. _Who?_

…_..._

* * *

There was a knock on Alaude's door.

"Alaude-sama, some people are here to see you,"

He dropped his book on the desk annoyed at the interruption. "Let them in,"

The oak door opened and two well known faces appeared behind the maid – one he didn't feel like seeing since he was the only one that got to talk to Giotto; the other, he just didn't want to see. He didn't want to see anyone at all right now. The Japanese pureblood and the scarred red head entered his study looking around at his more than impressive collection of books in his private room.

"What is it?" he looked coldly at the two; he didn't like visitors – especially uninvited ones.

"Alaude," Asari was the one to speak, "I need to talk to you,"

"I have nothing to discuss with you,"

"It's about Giotto,"

He jerked his head; his frosty blue eyes piercing at the dark haired teen for mentioning the name.

"You need to talk to him," the boy didn't waver.

The platinum blond looked back down at his book. "He had nothing to say to me,"

"But _you _do, don't you?"

Asari walked up to the front of his desk trying to get more of his attention and it worked. He let out a low warning growl.

"Is that all you came to say?" he darted his eyes at the red head who was standing at the door, "both of you? Because I don't need either of you to tell me anything,"

"Alaude," the pureblood wanted him to stop speaking.

The blond stood up from his seat, irked. "You seem to know a lot, Asari," he darkly eyed the dark haired teen. "With that ability you got from your family line, you can steal any person's secrets yet you never do anything but hide them for your own convenience. You don't let it out until you get to play with other people first,"

Like he wanted, a shock of hurt and insult slammed the pureblood's face.

"What are you talking about?" he looked at the love-lost blond.

Alaude was still upset at him. Asari knew who Giotto loved, what the other felt. Why didn't the boy just tell him what he knew about the Vongola heir?!

"Do you still think he loves Tsuna?" Asari looked at him with soft eyes. "Alaude, Giotto loves you,"

Was it pity? A scowl formed on his mouth.

"Leave," the blond's words were final.

"Alaude," it was G's turn to come at him. "Out of everyone, you should be the one who would know the reason best why Giotto hasn't drunk Tsuna's blood."

Alaude couldn't believe it. Did everyone know what happened when he came to visit the Italian?

…...

* * *

"Tsuna!" Yamamoto shook the small boy.

After a few moments of worrying, the other finally opened his eyes. A wave of relief washed over the dark haired teen as he relaxed.

"Yamamoto," the brunette still looked tired.

The boy resumed to his hard panting as he fidgeted. Something was making him uncomfortable.

"It's too hot," Tsuna complained again.

Yamamoto still didn't know what to do seeing that his plan failed of diving in the freezing water. To him, the lake was cold as ice. He could feel the other start to burn up again and Tsuna let out an unsettled moan.

"It's hot!" the brunette clung to him tighter.

The boy's slippery hands grabbed at the dark haired teen's neck wishing for him to do something.

"What's wrong, Tsuna?! What's hot?"

Yamamoto at least wanted a hint on how to help him. The fevered boy began mumbling and his words became harder to understand when he dug his head against Yamamoto's shoulder.

"Inside... it hurts inside... please take it out of me..."

The vampire teen couldn't believe his ears. Was Tsuna just... asking him?! He let his yellow eyes linger at the blushing brunette in his arms. From the color of his skin, it looked like they were in a sauna than in an ice cold lake dead in the night half naked.

"Please," his friend dug his fingers across the teen's back.

Trying to be calm but ecstatic, the sound of bone deforming cracked at his gums as his fangs started to grow in. If a pureblood told him to do something, shouldn't he be obliged to do it? He eyed the sweet barren neck exposed to him as Tsuna clung to him hopelessly.

"I love you, Tsuna," he whispered in the other boy's ear as he went in.

The sharp teeth sunk in at the soft flesh, the taste of the metallic liquid and salty skin filling his mouth. The brunette let out a pleasured moan as Yamamoto was taking out most of the heat that overwhelmed his body.

Yamamoto couldn't help it, he wanted to take the whole mess of him. Purebloods were the best tasting out of all of the possible blood mixes out there – the sweetness making him weak against the pleasure. The loud gasps of the pureblood he was sucking breathed loudly in his ear.

"Yamamoto," Tsuna called out his name.

At the sound of the innocent voice, the teen regained to his senses and pulled out. A little messy from inexperience, a thin stream of the dark liquid trickled down at the side of his mouth and to his chin. Holding still at the silence, the dark haired teen noticed that his own heart was pounding.

He brushed his hands against the other's spiky hair feeling the soft locks, and the small boy looked at him. The weary look no longer dragged the pureblood down.

"Are you okay now?" Yamamoto studied him.

Tsuna gave a light smile and nodded. Relieved, the muscular teen kissed him at his lips. From the pink flesh, he went down lower on to the neck where his fangs had just been and licked the deep cuts he just made.

"Are you still burning?" he felt around the smaller boy's skin.

The brunette closed his eyes as the other brushed his lips against him. "A-a little,"

Hoping that they'd resume to the hot passionate intimacy they were doing before they got into the lake, there was a sudden movement behind the bushes that stopped them. The two teens froze holding each other as they snapped their heads. Yamamoto's face tightened in alert.

"What was that?" he pulled the brunette closer to him.

They waited in suspended silence when a little creature came out.

"Eh?" the two let out a sigh of relief. "It's just a hedgehog,"

The little cream colored porcupine shuddered its gray spikes and a sweat drop ran down Tsuna's temple. There were two things stuck at its back.

"It's got our clothes..."

The brunette touched himself feeling naked and found that what was hanging on the creature's spikes was indeed his own shirt. Yamamoto let go of him when the boy suddenly floundered.

"M-my pants! What happened to my pants?!"

He looked to Yamamoto and quickly turned away when he realized that he'd been hugging the muscular teen shirtless.

"T-tell me you've got your pants on!" he blushed refusing to look at Yamamoto.

The dark haired boy gave a laugh. "Tsuna," he teased.

"You _better _have your pants on,"

Another rustling came behind the little porcupine and a much bigger animal came out; it's malicious intent dangerously high. A choking atmosphere overtook the night air as an angry voice spoke.

"What are you herbivores doing trespassing into my garden?"

The deadly ring of the voice, the two turned their heads again completely losing the romantic feel.

"Hibari!"

The steely grey eyes glared at them showing glimpses of their soon to be deaths if they didn't get out of the water soon.

"Hey, Hibari-san!" Yamamoto gave a smile. "We we're just going for a swim,"

Tsuna couldn't get away from the queasiness in the pit of his stomach and the diminishing patience of the school prefect. "We were just getting out!"

The brunette pulled on Yamamoto's arm as he urged them to get out of the water, but as soon as they reached the dry ground, the steely eyed boy swung at them. A sharp metal tonfa barely missed Yamamoto's face as they stumbled back.

"Sneaking and defiling someone else's private property, I will bite you two to death,"

…...

* * *

"He had years of opportunity to take Tsuna's blood," Asari refused to leave the blond's house still trying to convince him to go talk to Giotto.

But what did the years matter?

"You remember our pact?" the pureblood kept the annoying eyes. "We don't take blood unless it's from someone we love. For all the years you have known him, there are only three people he had taken from – two of them were to save people's lives,"

Alaude peeked at the purebloood curiously. For all his efforts in the past of trying to find out who the Italian had fed from, the spiky blond wouldn't tell him.

"Three?" he repeated the number.

Which three? The dark haired teen nodded at the correct amount.

"As part of the ritual to erase the scent that purebloods give off, he exchanged blood with Reborn from the Arcobaleno family. After that, Giotto did the same to me,"

The information about Giotto exchaning blood with Asari was old news but it ticked an old time jealousy. It's like the dark haired teen and the Italian had this "bond" or relationship that they shared just because they came from the three original lines.

"But I wasn't the first one," the pureblood continued. "Reborn wasn't the first one either; Giotto exchanged blood with the both of us during middle school. You were his first,"

G now walked to the dark haired teen's side.

"You took away his first time,"

Alaude slammed his fist against his desk. "I _never _drank Giotto's blood before,"

He was seething in anger, his yellow brows furrowed deep in anger. What the hell was his the other boy saying? If he ever took the Italian's blood, he'd remember it. His two uninvited guests stood there in hanging silence as Asari gave him a knowing look. Again, the boy knew something he didn't. When Alaude was going to tell them off again, a high pitched scream traveled in the air.

All three looked outside through the window.

"What was that?" G headed towards the glass panes.

There was a disturbance somewhere behind the thick trees outside the garden. When the red head opened the windows, an overly strong sweet scent sent them scrunching their faces – it was a pureblood. Such noticeable fragrance was their way of signaling that someone was feeding on them.

"What is it?" the Japanese heir looked at them confused.

Before anyone could answer, Alaude got up from his desk and rushed past his two visitors and jumped out of the window.

"Alaude!" Asari called after him. "What is it?!" he turned back to G.

The red head grabbed his hand and led him out the window following after the hasty blue eyed teen.

"It's Tsuna,"

…...

* * *

Holy cow! Hibari was hunting them like an angered minotaur. Not knowing their way through the maze-like forest he called a garden, the two streaking teens ran after the hedgehog who still had their clothes. Free from the hot spell and finally feeling the cold wind, a chilling breeze passed between his legs as the brunette ran in his soaked boxers and bare feet. The dark haired teen pulled him to go faster, holding his hand.

"Stop running!" Tsuna called after the quick little critter.

For the length of it's legs, it covered a great amount of distance in such an awe striking speed.

"Look out!" Yamamoto pushed the half naked boy aside.

A silver metal came slicing between them seconds after they let go of each other. Tsuna hit the ground and rolled down a steep hill losing sight of the taller boy. Smalls rocks pelted him as he stopped and hit the bumpy ground.

"Urgh," he groaned as he tried to sit himself up as fast as possible.

He brushed off the dirt but they clung to his wet skin. When he tried to clean his back, a sharp needle poked his hand.

"Ow!" he quickly stood up.

His eyes widened as he saw the mischievous porcupine looking up at him.

"There you are!" he grabbed his collared shirt from the back of the little animal and put it on.

At least now, he had something to cover him. Happy that it was dry, he buttoned down the shirt to reveal less skin, but the whereabouts of his pants were still unknown. Tsuna bent down and picked up the hedgehog and plucked out Yamamoto's shirt. How did their shirts even get stuck on the the little guy anyway?!

The brunette gently dropped the small animal back down and quickly headed back up the hill he came from. He had to get back to Yamamoto! For all he knew, he might have gotten killed by that angry prefect. As he got back up, the hedgehog was following him. The boy tried to ignore it but as he kept walking on forward, it still followed closely behind him.

"Uhm...," he stopped, "Are you Hibari-san's pet?"

It looked up at him with small beady eyes as it let out a squeak.

"You are?"

It let out another squeak shuddering its spikes as it pointed its head behind him. Tsuna tilted his head wondering what it was trying to say when noises that sounded like footsteps began to get closer. The brunette quickly looked for a place to hide and went behind a tree. Hoping for quiet, the porcupine ran after him and started making noises to where he hid.

"Quiet!" he scolded the creature.

Too late. The footsteps were about to disappear but shifted its direction and started heading towards him again. Crap! Tsuna dissed his hiding spot and headed somewhere else. As he ran away, Hibari's pet kept trailing him and his eyes grew wide.

"Stop following me!"

He ducked down when he found a nice tall bush and crouched down. The pesky critter walked over close to him and huddled next to his feet.

"Go away," he tried to shoo it with his hand.

He would've kept trying to make it leave when he saw something between the leaves of the bush he hid under. Turning his attention, Tsuna cleared a small hole where he could peep and saw the half naked body of Yamamoto running his way. He was about to call out when right by his ear, a different person passed by.

The unsuspected rush of wind sent him frozen as his eyes watched the sharp eyed prefect go by him. His voice held stuck at his throat as both guys he saw vanished towards the same direction.

A little squeak tugged Tsuna back into his senses again. The porcupine rubbed at his leg prickling his naked thigh.

"Agh!" he hissed getting up.

Even though it was trying to act cute, it still hurt. Rubbing his leg to ease the pain, the brunette looked around to see any signs of his muscular accomplice. Walking in the direction he saw the boy go, he softly called out the other's name.

"Yamamoto," he made sure to keep his voice low. "Yamamoto,"

There were random shuffling in the trees that made him jump as he wandered the garden. As he made through a bridge where a gentle stream ran under, he spotted a shadow not to far ahead. The dark outline had the same jagged cut that resembled Yamamoto's haircut. The build was about the same, and he perked up with joy thinking that he finally found the other.

He made sure to keep unnoticed as he silenced his lips and softened his steps as he ran over.

"Yamamoto," he whispered as he got in the back of the person he saw.

There was a hurried shuffling nearby and Tsuna turned to see that something was coming at him.

"Watch out," the person next to him grabbed him and moved him aside.

A sharp wind blew by him as he and the person holding him stumbled into an open spot under the moonlight.

"Thanks," he straightened up and looked at the guy behind him.

"No problem," a familiar face smiled at him. "It was just a bird,"

He drew back surprised and pulled his arm away from the older boy.

"Asari-sempai!"

Tsuna saw the elegant features being highlighted under the soft illumination of the moonlight.

"You thought I was Yamamoto?" his sempai raised a brow.

The brunette grew embarrassed at his mistake and apologized.

"It's alright," the boy gave a calming presence, "people say we look alike."

"Tsuna!" a different voice came from the bushes.

The two turned to see who it was and the boy he was looking for came out of the bushes.

"Yamamoto!"

The dark haired teen ran up to the small boy and hugged him.

"Are you okay?" he looked the brunette up and down.

"Mhm," Tsuna nodded.

Even at the sweet reunion, the two younger teens could feel the questioning eyes of their sempai as he watched their intimacy.

"Asari-sempai," Yamamoto turned to the older boy.

The dark haired teen just looked at his under classmen as they both stood half naked and soaking wet.

"Tsuna, why don't you have pants?" the pureblood looked down.

The boy self-consciously shot his hand down to cover his privates. He stuttered trying to answer, but he didn't even know why himself. Asari looked over to the shirtless teen next to the brunette and decided not to ask.

"Asari!" a familiar voice called out.

Easing the awkwardness, another person came out from the darkness and a certain red head emerged.

"Did you find them?" the burns on his other sempai's face told them who it was.

"Yeah, I found them," the Japanese pureblood turned to G.

The red head turned to the two boys and his drew his face back. Oh, gosh... Tsuna turned away flushing. Why were his upperclassmen here seeing him with just his boxers?! The cloth of his undergarments were still drenched and clung to every curve of his lower half showing everything. G shook his head – he wasn't even going to ask.

Were more of his upperclassmen coming?! Rustling behind them, another dark figure was coming out of the bushes. Now, Tsuna didn't even know whether to use his hands to cover his face, or his legs. Out of the darkness and into the dim light came out the teen who was chasing after them – Hibari Kyoya with his deadly tonfas.

The prefect wore a scowl as he saw the two upperclassmen with his targets.

"What are you all doing here? All four of you trespassing in my garden, that's interesting. I'll take you all on," he swished his weapons challenging the two new combatants without a blink of an eye.

"We're not here to fight," G spoke up.

Hibari wasn't about to budge when he saw something behind all four of them.

"Hmph," he let out a breath.


	7. Always in Your Mind

A/N: I know I said that I'll explain everything in this supposed chapter but I really feel like this part should be separated from the explanation so please be patient with me~ Please enjoy!

Oh and to daifukumochi, I'm really happy that you have drawn something for this! Though I can't open what you have sent me of the rough sketch, I'm hoping that I'll get to see the finished thing. Maybe PM me? I really wish you have an account Q_Q

And also, thank you to all my readers for reading thus far. I really appreciate your support and love :)

* * *

**~Sweetness~**

**Chapter 7 - Always in Your Mind**

* * *

A couple of more birds flew by into the open air. Without a second thought or regard to attacking a pureblood, the hot blooded prefect swung his arms forward. In his mind, they were all intruders into his garden and the one that needed to go first was the one that pissed him off the most right now. His metal weapons targeted the half naked teen with only his pants on.

"Woah!" Yamamoto stumbled back.

Going for a swim? In the middle of the night? Unbelievable. His eyes sharpened as he intended each hit to be a one hit kill.

"Hold on, Hibari!" his target gave a hopeful smile as he dodged every attack.

The prefect jumped and landed a hit straight at his chest making him fall back. Landing back on his feet, he immediately followed up with his tonfas when something pulled him back. He looked to his side annoyed.

"P-please don't hurt him!" a spiky haired boy pulled on his sleeve.

His gray eyes traveled down and twitched at the sight of wet boxers tightly clinging onto the pale legs below. What was this indecency?! He shoved off the small teen and was about to hit him when a hand grabbed his tonfa.

"Wait!"

A bright orange flame wrapped around the metal weapon and blazed down onto his hand. Hibari quickly let go, leaping back. The fire caught on his sleeve and he quickly tried ripping it off, but the flame traveled too quickly. Before it was able to get to his skin, he ripped off his shirt and threw it on the ground; the jacket on his back flew along with it.

Asari's eyes widened. The pulsing fire still breathed wildly as it kept burning away Hibari's clothes and only one thing came to mind.

Yamamoto did it with Tsuna.

The prefect was now more aggravated than in the beginning. His eyes sharpened with malice as he glared at the clueless Yamamoto who was confused as to what just happened. The dark haired teen had sent the prefect on fire and he didn't even know what he did.

With amazing speed, the prefect quickly disappeared and appeared right in front of the boy who had just destroyed one of his favorite weapons. He swung his remaining tonfa aiming at his face when a metal chain flew from behind a tree and pulled him back. A metal cuff locked around the prefect's waist as he was dragged back to the ground.

…...

* * *

A breath of relief escaped Yamamoto as he turned to see the hidden person coming out from behind the trees. The platinum blond hair looked even paler under the moonlight as he stepped out.

"Alaude-sempai,"

What was he doing here? Yamamoto couldn't tell if he should be relaxed that his sempai just saved him right now, or if he should still be on his toes based on the dark look the blond wore. There was only silence as the blue eyed teen showed himself. He looked down at the captured prefect and the boy glared back. There was no way Hibari was going to accept being tied down like this.

"Don't bother me," his eyes turned wild.

Alaude didn't budge but instead murmured something to him that Yamamoto couldn't hear. It took a moment for him to remember that Hibari and Alaude came from the same family. There was a look of mutual agreement between the two as Hibari got up. He smacked the metal cuff wrapped around him and the metal broke; a red mark circled around his waist from when he was pulled.

"Hmph," he turned away from everyone as he walked over to his jacket on the ground.

His black jacket was safe from the teeth of the fire and was still on one piece. He threw it back over his shoulders and turned back a warning glance at the four intruders to his garden.

"Next time I find you all trespassing, I _will _bite you all to death,"

He jerked his head away and walked off; the hedgehog by Tsuna's feet jumped and quickly ran to Hibari's side. Most of the crisp, cold air went along with the touchy prefect as he left and Yamamoto finally relaxed. Thinking that all the trouble they were in was over, Asari called him over.

"Yamamoto,"

The dark haired teen saw the older teen look at him with serious eyes. He wasn't sure what the matter was, but the atmosphere was still tense. He looked around and found Alaude glaring at him too.

"What is it?" he asked confused.

Asari looked at his hands. "Did you... drink from Tsuna?"

His lips suddenly tightened. The guilty teen shifted his eyes to the red head in back of his sempai and immediately knew that he was in trouble. The "subliminal" message everyone was giving him picked his mind, and he knew that he wasn't supposed to touch Tsuna. The spiky haired boy was supposed to be Giotto's.

"Alaude," Asari called the blond's name as he reached for Yamamoto's hand.

The upperclassman squeezed his wrist forcing a spark to go through his veins. A light ignited in the younger boy's palms as a warm orange flame bust out.

"Tsuna can't love him," Asari gave a soft smile at the blue eyed teen.

For a second, Alaude's eyes grew big; his shoulders tensing. Yamamoto thought that his sempai was saying that Tsuna couldn't love _him – _that Yamamoto couldn't be with Tsuna and that the Giotto's loyal dog was going to maul him over it. Yamamoto braced himself for any sudden movement when the blond turned around.

"Yamamoto," he called his name.

The boy grew silent as his senior turned his eyes to look at him.

"Eat him whole,"

Alaude's lip twitched as his fangs came out and he disappeared. The dark haired teen stood there staring at the empty spot where the blond had been. _Eat him whole?_ What did he mean by that? He turned his gaze back to the older teen who still held his wrist. To his surprise, Asari gave him a bright smile as he chuckled.

"Tsuna," his sempai turned to the half naked boy beside him.

"Y-yes?"

He was scared as well thinking that they were still in trouble for something – probably for not having enough clothes on.

"Do you like this guy right here?" he patted Yamamoto's shoulder.

A blush grew on the small boy's face as he was asked.

"Well?"

"I-I do..."

The two younger teens grew embarrassed at his answer. Not being able to help himself from being happy by hearing it a second time, Yamamoto grabbed Tsuna by the hand and hugged him with a wide smile.

"Y-Yamamoto!" the boy yelled at him turning even redder.

Their public affection won the the older teens over as Yamamoto finally saw G nod in approval.

"Good, because we're going to explain this to your father,"

"Eh?!"

Tsuna's mouth dropped as he heard the word "father." Asari tilted his head innocently at his reaction.

"Well, you're in love, right?"

…...

* * *

Giotto sat at the edge of his bed. Not taking his food, not talking to any one – he was beyond stressed. He held up Tsuna's ring up at the ceiling, the golden shine sparkling bright. If he dropped this, the golden coat would disappear. Even though purebloods' rings were special, they only turned the beautiful yellow when a pureblood touched the metal.

He let out another sigh, but his thoughts were still twisted in knots – he vowed not to take blood unless he was in love. Was he in love with the spiky haired boy? All he was certain of was that he needed to protect him. So who was he in love with? Could he take his blood irregardless of such feelings? All the times he exchanged blood with another rewinded in his mind.

_The purpose of drinking from another vampire is merely an act of passion, _he thought blankly. They didn't need to do it unless one of them was dying or in the rare cases of purebloods. In all the times he did it, did he ever do it out of the impassioned emotion of love? All those times – there were three times...

The first time, he did it with Asari right when G called them that Daemon had attacked the dark haired teen – and that was because Asari was dying. The Japanese couldn't just recover from the red head's blood alone if he didn't want to suck him dry so he had to step in.

The second time, he did it with Reborn a few weeks after that incident happened. To prevent the same thing happening to him, they erased the scent he gave out. The exotic scent produced by the ones from the main family lines are such a bother and place so much danger to the young purebloods, but they could only be taken out by letting another pureblood from a different family drink from them.

The third time,

The third time it was...

Giotto lingered on the memory. The third time...

His eyes blanked and he shook his head. It shouldn't really be called his "third" time. More like, his first time – his _true _first time.

His true first time was not at the school gym. It wasn't at the Arcobaleno house where he was sent to be "kept safe." It was before middle school even happened and it happened at this house – the Vongola house. In his room. Over there. Giotto glanced at the window seat facing the outside.

Remembering when everyone just barely started noticing the sweet fragrance he gave out, he was so afraid when vampires began waiting outside his window. Of course, Ricardo had promised him that he'll keep him safe, but the man's words proved a little less comforting when he could see the ghoulish faces of the blood thirsty vamps salivating at his window. As a kid, and his first time seeing such a thing, it would freak anyone out. The Italian gave a small laugh remembering how childish he had been.

"_Giotto," _

_Alaude called his name as he studied the dark circles under the pureblood's eyes. He had refused to leave the house for the past few days and the blond had come to visit worried about what was going on. Giotto was still in bed under his covers but he hadn't gotten a wink of rest. He turned his head away so the boy couldn't see his fatigue. _

"_I just haven't been feeling well lately," he lied. _

_Alaude could tell that wasn't the truth, but kept his voice soft._

"_Tell me what's been bothering you," he walked closer._

"_It's n__othing. I'm fine," _

_Giotto didn't want to look at him afraid that he'd show his weak side and hoped that the blond would leave. To his surprise, his bed gave a bounce as the other went ahead and sat down at the edge of his bed. He pulled his eyes back up to take a peek and saw the stubborn blond look at him with serious eyes – he wasn't going to leave until he told him the reason. _

_Giotto gave a pout. He could handle this. He just had to wait until the boy gives up and eventually leave. He'd leave once he got bored. After still hours of both of them just sitting there, boy was he wrong. Day had turned into sunset and into night. It was almost midnight and Alaude never left, his blue eyes never leaving the sight of him either. The spiky blond gripped his blanket tight. _

"_Alaude, I told you -" _

_A hand scrapped the window making the Italian jump. His eyes widened for a moment cutting his sentence mid way and his heart started to race. His body froze as he kept his head looking straight at the only other person in the room – his face reaching out for help. The platinum blond glanced at the window finally getting his answer. _

_No.. Giotto felt helpless that Alaude now knew. He didn't want to take his eyes away from the only source of comfort assuring him that there was another person there with him, but he forced himself to look away down at his palms. The moment he did so, a hand reached for his face and brought his gaze back up. He opened his eyes and found himself staring at the blue irises of the pale boy that had been sitting by his side. _

"_You're scared to sleep?" _

_Giotto kept his lips sealed but the boy didn't need him to answer. The warm hands slid from the Italian's face as Alaude walked over to the big glass window and sat down on the window seat. He leaned back comfortably against the side and looked back at him. _

"_Go to sleep. I'll watch you," _

_A worried look only stayed on the pureblood's face. "... You don't need to," _

_Alaude only tilted his head back not saying anything more. This was dumb. A weak vampire couldn't get past his window when they had guards outside. He didn't need Alaude to guard him. The two boys stared at each other as Giotto let out a sigh. This wasn't going to help anything. _

_Absolutely sure, the blond was going to succumb to sleep before he did. The pureblood couldn't sleep, and he hadn't been for days. What difference did today make? Just because the boy was there didn't mean anything. Giotto kept staring at him, waiting, while he stared back. _

_Look, his eyes are already closing, he thought as he watched the blond. In truth, the boy stiffly sat there with hard eyes that didn't seem to tire at all. The blue watching his every move..._

_Giotto's lids began to drag heavy. He's going to sleep before me... He tried to keep them open. A fear started to tug on him as everything started to get blurry. _

_He'll be gone when I wake up... When I wake up, I'll be alone. _

_Will he be? The pureblood shot his eyes open. He twisted his head looking around the room startled that the room had gotten bright. The sun's rays had lit up the walls and he quickly sat up. _

"_Alaude?" he called the boy's name in half hope. _

_His gaze turned to the window and found the blond staring out the glass panes. The bright light shined on him blindingly obscuring his face, but at the call of his name, he turned around and all his features became visible. _

_At the sight of the serious blond, Giotto couldn't help but smile. He slept._

"_You didn't sleep," he tried to hide his happiness. _

_Giotto tossed his blankets aside and got out of bed. He walked towards the blue eyed kid, the boy finally looking tired. _

"_No," the boy looked back out the window, "but you did." _

_This guy was unbelievable, the pureblood shook his head. When he was about to thank him, Alaude had gone limp against his seat. His head tilted at his shoulder and his crossed arms loosened – he'd fallen asleep. _

_The Italian blushed seeing the other's sleeping face. He was actually cute. Giotto took a seat at the small space at the edge of the window seat as he stared at the dreaming blond and smiled. He gently leaned forward and kissed the unguarded lips of his guardian – his personal gratitude. Feeling a little evil, he bit the soft flesh and an odd taste filled his mouth. _

_At that moment, something set off in his mind. Something uncontrollable pushed against his gums as his teeth grew. Were they fangs? Growing them for the first time, he panicked and bit his tongue. A bad pain screamed inside his mouth but it only made him want to kiss deeper to forget the awful feeling. Worried that the blond would wake up, he finally let go and released his lips. _

"_Thank you," he whispered letting out a breath. _

"_Thank you."_

Giotto stopped reminiscing and found himself on the same window seat. That was his first time. He didn't even know why he did that to Alaude; if the boy ever knew, he'd die. He didn't want Alaude to know about these things that made him look so vulnerable.

He sighed that the bitter sweet feeling he got from remembering ended. Just like that, he was stressed again – tired from lack of sleep. Back then too, he couldn't sleep when something bothered him way too much.

Ugh... The question came back again. Can he drink from Tsuna? He couldn't get over his first time. It just wouldn't be as good as it was with Alaude. Nothing could compare to that small moment.

He leaned his head against the glass. "My first time," his eyes became blank. "My first time with -"

"Ngh!" his voice caught as the glass pulled back and he found his head bobbing from the sudden loss of support.

A cold wind rushed inside the room as the window opened and a person all in black appeared crouching on top of him. His eyes widened as the vampire's fangs visibly barred itself, the demon leaning close.

"Who was your first time?"

Giotto found himself unable to speak. The demon's eye twitched in irritation as he pulled the pureblood up from his seat and threw him on the bed making him drop Tsuna's ring. What the heck was happening?! Giotto flipped himself over so he wouldn't be on his face defenseless. The vampire looked at him with cold hard eyes as he walked closer, but Giotto couldn't make himself get up or squirm away. The intruder pressed him down against his shoulder and brought one knee on the bed.

"Giotto, who was your first time?" he asked again.

The vampire leaned over him but they stayed like that in a moment of silence. When he found a slight speck of hurt in the blue eyes when he didn't answer, he was finally able to bring himself to speak.

"Alaude," the name was familiarly easy on his tongue.

It wasn't enough. The platinum blond dropped his head sighing.

"Tell me, when and who was your first time?"

The pureblood didn't get what was suddenly going on. What the heck was Alaude doing, and why did he all of a sudden want to know? He looked at the teen on top of him as he refused to let him hear the truth. Alaude can't know it was him.

"No," Giotto shook his head.

The grip on his shoulder tightened and he flinched. For a second, Alaude looked deeply hurt when his brows tightened. The blond stood up and angrily took off his jacket throwing it on the floor. The Italian's eyes widened.

"What are you doing?" he watched as the teen stripped himself.

"I gave you a chance," Alaude looked down at him as he ripped off his shirt.

With his chest now bare, the pureblood could see the sculpted chest and exposed lean arms. The intruding vampire brushed his hand through the pale yellow hair still looking pissed, and Giotto couldn't help but think that Alaude looked sexy like that. He bit his lip trying to suppress the thought. No, he mustn't know what he thinks about him. He placed a hand on the boy's arm to tell him to stop.

"I don't know what you're trying to do, but this – Ah!"

Alaude grabbed his wrist pinning him down and shut him up by crushing his lips with his.

"Alaude!" Giotto broke free from the kiss. "What are you doing?!"

The blond pressed close and licked his ear.

"You never listen to me because I always go too easy on you. So tell me, who was your first time?"

"First time for what?"

"That you drank from," he stopped his tongue and bit his ear.

A heat went up to the pureblood's face as he tried to hold his answer in. He couldn't say it like this, he looked away. The blond noticed he was averting his gaze and his eyes sharpened. He went slowly inching down kissing the pureblood's ear and down onto his neck. Thinking that the boy would stop once he reached the crevasse near his shoulder, a jolt of surprise sent him squirming when Alaude continued down to his chest.

The blond pulled up Giotto's collared shirt and ripped it apart. The loud pop of the buttons flying out sent a warning to his brain.

"Alaude," he tried pushing him off but the erotic feel of his tongue against his skin made him weak.

"Tell me your first time,"

It was a demand – a bargaining deal. Would he stop teasing him if he spilled? He could feel the blond bite the most sensitive part of his skin and he let out a moan. This _couldn't _be happening. Giotto closed his eyes as he bit down on his finger to keep him from making such weird noises.

The blue lusty eyes looked at him and saw that he was breaking. Traveling down even lower, Alaude went down to his stomach causing him to tighten up.

"No..." Giotto pressed down on the blond's shoulder. "Stop,"

Liking the sound of his voice, the blue eyed teen used his tongue dangerously low going below the pureblood's belly button. He could hear the clink of his belt unbuckling as the teen worked his way to slip the thing off from his waist.

"H-hold on!" Giotto started to kick before his pants came off, "I'll tell you! I'll tell you when!"

Alaude held his tongue and the kissing, and looked up. His eyes held an intense stare as he waited for him to spill. A heat had taken over Giotto's entire body as he decided to admit before the blond sees something more embarrassing than what he wanted to know.

"My first time," he confessed, "was in the summer... before middle school,"

…...

* * *

His yellow brows scrunched up. Before middle school... That was so early. Somehow, by confessing the actual time, it ticked the blond even more. Who was the guy that had taken Giotto so early?! He cast his eyes down darkly.

"So who was it?"

Giotto looked up. "Hm?"

"Who was it?" he repeated.

"But I told you!"

"You didn't tell me who,"

Alaude grew aggravated with the constant probing he had to do and grabbed the pureblood's pants.

"H-hey!" the pureblood yelled as he tried to keep his pants where they were.

Being on top, Alaude had an advantage and pulled hard overpowering the embarrassed Italian. The black pants flew off and he threw it at the other side of the room for a dead zero percent chance that Giotto could reach for it.

"Alaude!" Giotto yelled.

He payed the pureblood no attention and was about to continue when Giotto grabbed the aggressive teen's face.

"What's wrong with you?!" he yelled at the blue eyed teen. "It's you! You, Alaude! I did it with you! I kissed you while you were sleeping and bit you!"

Giotto's face burned madly as he said it. Alaude looked at him frozen with his lips partly agape. Him? It was really him that was Giotto's first time? Giotto kissed him first, not the other way around?

The pureblood pouted as he had to watch his dumbfounded face. He had finally gotten what he wanted to know and now he was frozen.

"What?" Giotto's face was still red.

Alaude calmed down and glanced his eyes over the pureblood's almost naked body. The only thing left was his boxers...

Giotto noticed that he was staring at his underwear.

"Hey!" Giotto tried to avert his attention away from his lower half – that was the only piece of clothing he had left from being stripped of his dignity.

A smirk ran across the blond's face as he suddenly dived down towards the almost naked teen – his arms wrapping around hugging him tightly.

"Alaude!" the pureblood called his name as he squished him.

The blue eyed teen hugged even tighter enjoying the sound of his name being screamed.

"Please keep saying my name," he murmured into Giotto's ears.

He pressed his face against the spiky hair.

"Giotto, I love you,"

He rested his eyes for a second to savor the sweetness of the moment. With Alaude's tight hold on him, Giotto couldn't do anything, much less move. The heavy body of the overbearing teen put all its weight against him. He let out a sigh as he couldn't breathe. Jeez. Was this love? Giotto placed his hands against the the blond's back. Because if it was, he wouldn't mind.

"Alaude," he tapped the boy on top of him.

The blond picked up his head to look at him; a smile spread across Giotto's lips as he kissed him.

"I love you, too."

The Italian studied the blond's face as his heart melted. There. He finally said it. A wild look sparked the blond's eyes and he dug his head deep into Giotto's shoulder.

"H-hhey!"

The flustered please were wonderful to his ears as he tugged on the only piece of clothing Giotto had left. Alaude gave him a smooch on the cheek promising that for the rest of the night, he won't disappoint.


	8. You Tell Me, So I Tell You

**A/N : So um, here's the explanation! Enjoy~**

* * *

**~Sweetness~**

**Chapter 8 - You Tell Me, So I Tell You**

* * *

Reborn leaned back in his black leather couch, his legs crossed and his hands tapping against the arm rest. The kids in front of him sat uncomfortably across from him stiffening from his gaze.

"So that's why you kidnapped him in the middle of the night?"

"Yes," Yamamoto straightened his back tall.

There was a look of determination on him as he faced against the family head.

"You should've told us if you wanted to go with your friend," Iemitsu turned to the spiky haired boy who sat beside the half naked teen, "We would've let you guys go if you asked."

A pink blush flushed across Tsuna's face at the obvious thing they should have done.

"Sorry," he managed to speak up.

The brunette sat at the other couch tightening his fists on his still naked legs. They still hadn't given him pants to change out of, but he lay Yamamoto's shirt over his lap to cover up at least a little bit.

"Can I please get a change of clothes?" the boy asked.

"No," came Reborn's immediate response. "Not unless you tell us why you don't have on any pants in the first place. I saw you leave with them, I expect you to come back with them."

A whimper came from brunette's mouth, but this was his punishment. Did the boy have enough courage to tell him the truth?

"Why are your clothes wet?" the arcobaleno stared at the embarrassed teen.

Tsuna kept his face down. "W-we got in the water,"

"Water?"

"It was my idea," Yamamoto spoke up up trying to take the heat away from the spiky haired boy.

Reborn's eyes became sharp as it switched to the dark haired teen.

"So you're going to take responsibility?"

Yamamoto's arms became tense.

"Yes," the boy looked down as well.

A frown kept at the arcobaleno's lips. Reborn was becoming irritated and no one could tell what he wanted to hear to satisfy him. Asari glanced over the troubled couple who was being picked on and spoke up. The two were too innocent to face against the power head alone.

"Esxcuse me, but Tsuna has been meaning to say something to both of you," he tried to lead the conversation.

He gave an encouraging nudge to the meek brunette to speak up but the boy gave a sharp jolt as the Japanese touched him; a worried crease formed on the pureblood's brow. Could Tsuna go through with this? He had to.

The priest turned to the small boy. "What is it, Tsuna?"

The boy fidgeted trying to shrink. He looked to the side of the baseball jock and Yamamoto stared back. He, too, was waiting for Tsuna's answer. Lucky it was the priest that had asked and not the forceful arcobaleno; Tsuna took a deep breath and lifted his head up, his eyes looking straight at his father.

"Dad," he made his voice free from waver, "I-I have something to tell you,"

The two grown ups in the room sat silent.

"I'm in love with Yamamoto,"

A huge breath ran out of the boy's mouth as he broke the news. Iemitsu's face turned block serious as he looked at his son.

"Are you sure about that?"

The boy shook his head up and down. "I-I'm sure,"

Iemitsu turned his head and sighed.

"Hmm..." his shoulders dramatically went up and down. He suddenly became very tired. "Then I have something to tell you too. Tsuna,"

He did the same as his son did and looked him straight in the eye. "I'm not your father,"

"Huh?"

"Tsuna, I'm a Roman Catholic _priest – _I can't get married. I was never married to your 'mom,'"

The horrified expression of the boy sent the man's heart in a twist. Was Tsuna being disowned?

The brunette clenched the shirt on his lap with a shaky smile. "I-Isn't that a little too much? I just said I was in love with my best friend... You don't need to say that I-I'm not your son. A-are you that angry with me?"

"No! I'm not angry with you! Tsuna," the priest dropped his head and rubbed his face in his hands. "I'm not... I expected this would happen. I hoped it wouldn't but..."

"Then what are you trying to say...?"

Tsuna scrunched his brows confused.

"Please..." Iemitsu let out an exasperated sigh. "Let me explain... I'm not your father – Reborn is,"

This was so not funny.

The priest raised his head waiting for the boy's reaction. Tsuna shifted his eyes at the suited man next to his 'father' and expected him to say something as well. Didn't he need to?! The things the man who he thought was his own flesh, the person he thought he came from, was telling him the lived a lie and Reborn was in on it.

"What are you saying?" Tsuna kept on hoping this was a joke, "_You're _my dad. I grew up with you. Uncle Reborn is just a family friend,"

_Friend. _That was all he was, wasn't it?

"Tsuna," Iemitsu looked at him like he was a lost child, "don't you think it's odd that your uncle would spend so much time with you, even more than me?"

"That's because you always have to go overseas," the boy argued.

What the man was saying was nonsense. Who cares if another person spent more time with him than his father? He grew up with them all saying that he was Iemitsu's son. I mean, Reborn... as his father?

"If Uncle Reborn is my dad... why didn't you tell me?" Tsuna's lip formed a thin line. "If Reborn-san is my dad, why wouldn't _he_ tell me? If he was my dad, why would he go through the pain of seeing me all the time and not say anything?!"

Questions started racing out of his mouth.

"Why would a father visit his son all the time and pretend that they aren't related at all? If Reborn-san was my dad, why would you call me your son? Why would a father let someone else name their child as someone else's son?!"

His chest breathed in and out as he let all the angry things that came to his mind flow out. He focused on the suited Italian across from him. He thought that the pain from his questions only came through to himself, but Reborn looked at him equally knotted – the truth he and Iemitsu knew, tangling him.

"Tsuna," Reborn's voice sounded unexpectedly deep, "today, you had your first taste in blood, didn't you?"

The brunette didn't answer and only kept his eyes on him.

"You got that from me," the man stood up; his long limbs spreading out.

Tsuna grew tense at his nearing presence as he walked over, eyeing him suspiciously, but lost his intensity when Reborn came and knelt in front of him.

"Tsuna," he grabbed the boy's hand.

He had never realized how smooth the man's hand felt; it was like polished stone befitting a statue. The brunette's body shot up in a straight line when Reborn kissed his fingers. What was he doing?! Trying to make out the expression the man was making, his fedora shadowed his face making it impossible to see what he was thinking.

"When I couldn't be a father, I at least tried to be an uncle to you,"

Reborn kept his face down at the boy's white knuckles.

"No," Tsuna shook his head, "No... Why would you-? No,"

He tried to take his hand away but the man tightened his grip to make it stay where it was.

"If your my dad, why would you give me away? And not completely, when you're still able to see me? You see me, but you lie to me?"

"Let me explain," Reborn dug his nails into Tsuna's skin.

When he saw the boy flinch, he eased up but didn't let go.

"At least let me explain,"

He lifted his head up so Tsuna could see; the man's eyes softly flashing red. The tenderness Tsuna never saw before softened Reborn's eyes. If he could explain everything then...

"Please," Tsuna didn't notice it, but his eyes started to glow as well.

_Please, tell me why. _

* * *

…...

…...

…...

…...

…...

…...

…...

…...

…...

…...

…

..

.

"_Why? Why would you kill your own brethren?!"_

_Rain pounded against the concrete as Reborn looked down on the man he stepped on. Water dripped down into his eyes obscuring his view, but the shame embedded on the vampires face couldn't be hidden. It was such a disgrace, these vampires that couldn't control their bloodlust. No self control or discipline... The Arcobaleno cocked his gun._

"_Sinful beasts like you..." his eyes burned crimson._

"_N-no... Please!" the vampire on the ground began to whimper as he aimed it at him, but there was no room for compassion in Reborn's heart. _

"_Please! No! W-" _

_Bang! _

_The gun shot blasted into the air. The bullet passed through the young blood's head, and then there was silence. _

_Silence... _

"_Don't deserve to exist,"_

_He tilted his head down as the only sound around them was the falling of rain. The arcobaleno pulled his jacket open and returned his weapon back to its holster. That was the last of them. For now, it was over. Not until tomorrow again, does all this repeats itself. _

_Reborn turned and staggered down the empty street. This was war. War within their own kind. Because there were those that couldn't help their selves from gorging into the addicting taste of blood, it came to this. Devouring almost all the humans that have lived within the city and the next three closest by, the shameless vampires had turned against their own purebloods so they could still get the fulfilling taste. Such a disgrace to the order. Now, there was blood everywhere. _

_A thick, nauseous liquid slimmed down his hand and he cast his eyes down at it. Red. His hand was red – covered with the delicious liquid they all wanted. All over him, the rain wouldn't even lick it away. His eyes became blank as he grew tired. Even he gets tired from all of this. _

_He pulled his head up to look at the grey sky, the clouds blocking the beautiful blue and sunny rays. There were never any happy moments ever since the war started two years ago. Trudging, trudging... He thought of the only thing that kept him the least bit sane from snapping. He thought of his son. _

_The innocent smile – the opposite of every thing that stood on the sinful battlefield he lived through all day. The small hands... He was turning three in four days. Just four days.._

"_Reborn!" a voice violently took him from his thoughts. _

_He jerked his head and up above on a roof top, he saw Lal Mirch. Her hair and clothes drenched in the downpour, her body heaved tirelessly as she rushed to catch up to him. She looked down at him with alarmed eyes._

"_You're son," she panted. "The priests have gotten your son!" _

_The thing holding him back from breaking snapped in his brain. _

"_The car bringing him back from the hospital was attacked. We've followed their tracks to the eastern part of the city, but that's where the barriers are put up,"_

_Lal couldn't slip out another word when Reborn just vanished. _

"_Reborn!" she called his name. _

_She cursed under her breath that she was the one that had to tell him. Reborn wasn't thinking anymore, he was just going to kill. Damn it! She jumped from the roof and followed the direction to where he went. _

…_..._

* * *

_Italy... _

_Italy was such a beautiful place wasn't it? It was such a shame that it was the home of the wicked. All the blood that had been spilled from the war against the demons that have attacked innocent humans – it had turned the whole country into hell. A place full of fear._

_Ieimitsu stood looking out the window at the incessant rain. It had gone non stop for a whole week – the ever lasting rain it seemed. It was raining so much, mother Earth must have been trying to cleanse itself from all the blood that had begun to stain her very ground. _

_Then again, he, too, had killed many and was part of why the Earth was pouring its tears on the country. A sudden crying clawed for his attention forcing him to look away from the sad scenery. To his side was a young toddler twisting on the bed._

_He picked up the wailing child and wrapped it in a blanket. The shaking body was sick from fever and twisted from pain. It was sad he had to do this to a child, but this was a demon child. As he hugged the small boy, the floor of the room began to shake. _

_He's here – the priest quickly grabbed for his pickaxe and leaned against the wall. Loud gunshots fired in the hallway as he braced himself, screams of his own men who guarded him outside twisted him inside. The last shot fired and he waited as he gripped the small boy on one hand. _

_Bang! _

_The door flew open as it was blown away from its attachment from the wall. Smoke danced in the air and cleared to reveal the serious face of the notorious head vampire. The black grave suit and curly sideburns – it was him. The man from the strongest family of demons – the Arcobaleno. _

_The vampire's eyes raged as he saw the blond hold on to the small child. From the mere presence of him, Iemitsu couldn't move. His face paled, his hand froze, his heart raced – he kept his composure only by keeping still._

"_My son," the arcobaleno barred his teeth. _

_They were the sharpest fangs he'd ever seen. Iemitsu dropped his weapon and held his hand up. _

"_I'm not here to fight," he knelt down to the floor and placed the toddler on his lap. "but I can't give you your son back. My orders from the Vatican told me to take him away from you,"_

_There was a violent glow in the red irises making the priest jump back. _

"_Give me. My son."_

_He was too dangerous._

"_Can we please at least talk?" he tried to reason with the enraged vampire. _

_One wrong step and it could turn into his death. He needed to calm the demon down. _

"_This building has been isolated ever since you walked in. A barrier had been triggered by your bullets so you can't leave; not at least for a little while," _

_The man didn't seem to care. He stared at the fidgeting boy in his hands and a feeling of sentiment started to get the better of the religious mercenary. _

"_Your son's sick, right? Maybe he'd feel better if you hold him," _

_Iemitsu slowly got up and walked over to the suited man and handed the kid over. "Here," _

_The man looked at him, distrusting, but at the mere sight of his son coming closer, he relaxed. The arcobaleno's touch was soft, different from any characteristic that the priest had ever seen on other demons like him. _

"_It's such a sad thing for a child to be born into this time – a time of war," he sympathized with the father and son. "Almost better if he wasn't born," _

_The vampire scowled at his last sentence. _

"_This is my flesh and blood. The fact that he's here, I'm grateful for," _

"_Ngh," the child heard his father's voice and clung on to him; his hands clutching on to the man's jacket. _

_The boy's flushed face buried deep into the arcobaleno's chest seeking for his warmth. The way the two were so close, the priest couldn't help but feel the bond of a family. _

"_I want to help you," Iemitsu couldn't help but form his intent in an empathetic way. "Don't we share a common goal?" _

"_Common goal?" the vampire raised a brow, "with your religious sect?" _

"_Don't we?" _

"_We're nothing but heretical beings in your eyes. Why would we have a common goal?"_

_The man scoffed at him, but it was true. The Vatican had classified the vampires as unclean demons that defies the church and their standards – they were immoral beings. _

"_Aren't we facing the same enemy?" Iemitsu tried to reason with him. _

"_No, we're not," the Arcobaleno gave a sharp reply. "We're facing our own men that has gotten out of control. Our mission is to restore order to our kind, while you, on the other hand, are trying to destroy all of us completely," _

_He made it sound like they were out to kill everyone. The priest shook his head._

"_We only target those that endanger the human way of living," _

"_And our existence endanger your human ways,"_

"_Please," the priest let out a breath, "right now, we are both facing against the same group here. Despite the two forms of anarchy we consider them to be doing, we are being attacked by the same band of anarchists."_

"_This is an internal problem; don't it mix in with yours," the man hissed. _

_Iemitsu thinned his lips not knowing what else to say. It was hard convincing the obstinate demon head. He studied the vampire before him who now stood calm with his son in his hand. _

_His son! The blond's eyes widened. _

"_Sooner or later, you will be overtaken by numbers," he knew how to lead the conversation to his advantage. "Out of the three original family lines, the Arcobaleno are the only ones living here in Italy, am I correct?" _

_The man grew tense again. "So what?" _

_The priest grew brazen and walked up to him facing him up close. "Although you are from the strongest line, your family will tire from fatigue. The other families are dealing with their own rebels in their own countries and can't help you. Sooner or later, the stray vampires will attack everyone that follows the Arcobaleno house and no one will be here to help you. Sooner or later, they will take your son like I did," _

_The pureblood swung his arm and Iemitsu stepped back. _

"_And you propose we join hands like allies and defeat them together – just like that?"_

"_Yes," he nodded. _

_Although he could do without the sarcasm, they had to work together if they wanted to extinguish all the stray vampires and Iemitsu knew that the Arcobaleno family needed the help._

"_With the Vatican by your side, this war can be over," he picked at the man's fatherly side, "We won't attack you - it'll be a temporary truce. If we work together, the war can be over in just four days."_

"_Four days?" the demon's eyes shot up. _

"_Yes," he gave a soft smile, "in four days. And as I remember, your son's birthday is in four days. Wouldn't that be a great birthday present for him? In October 14, the war that had conflicted the whole vampire race was ended at the day of his birth? You'll be able to celebrate his special day in peace,"_

_The demon grew silent at his proposition and looked down at the boy he carried in his arms. The red eyes shifted as it searched for some type of answer on the toddler on what he should do._

"_We all want peace," Iemitsu watched the vampire rack his brain for a decision. "don't you?"_

…_..._

* * *

"_For your son,"_

_Reborn remembered the priest telling him that. He fired another shot worrying if the promise would be kept. It was the enemy he decided to trust after all. He was putting his family on the line by letting the priests get so close to the main family. The vampire in front of him dropped dead from the critical shot and he could finally see the others in the next rooftop. Colonello's heavy fire along with Fong's close combat made messy of the vampires. _

"_At your back!" Reborn yelled as he saw a young blood jump up behind the spiky blond. _

"_Huh?" Colonello turned around._

_Reborn aimed his gun for coverage when a bright light burst from the floor. The sparkling rays burned the young blood into ashes as the blond arcobaleno stepped back. What was that? He turned around and heard the chanting of the dead language – fluent Latin flowing from a group of men's lips. Priests, the arcobaleno stared at the odd sight. _

_They should have been opening fire on the humans already, but the temporary pact they made restrained their urges. Colonello tore his stare away from the religious mercenaries and returned back to the battlefield._

"_Kora! Take this!" his trigger happy finger pulled against his gun. _

_The explosion's of his familiar's gun turned all the arcobaleno back into their pace, but Reborn sharpened his eyes. This was strange, the alliance they made with the hateful humans. It just seemed... off. There was something behind all this, he just knew it. _

_He reloaded his ammo for another round. Two more hours..._

_Two more hours, then they should be done. _

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

…_._

* * *

_It's been two hours. _

_He gripped the handle of his gun tightly stretching his skin. An exasperated sigh flew out of his lungs and into the air. _

"_What is this?" Lal shifted her eyes as they all stepped closer into a circle. _

_Why? Why did he trust them? _

_With their backs turned against each other, they faced their enemies in a tight formation. Verde tried to step forward but quickly inched back as the sole of his shoe hissed. The floor lit up as a barrier was formed trapping the arcobaleno into a tight space – they were double crossed. _

_Reborn glared through the pale barrier that fenced them like animals and at the lying bastards that chanted around them. _

"_Wait!" a robed man came running to the scene. "Stop this! Stop this, whatever you guys are doing!" _

_The man ran up to the priest leading the chant and grabbed him, shaking him to stop. _

"_You were not authorized to do this!" _

_The lead priest lashed his hand out making the man drop his hood. _

"_Iemitsu!" the priest revealed the the blond hair of the interrupter. __"__You are a man sworn under the name of the church! You know that these demons must be exterminated!" _

"_They are allies! They have just fought with us to end the war!" the blond grabbed the high priest's collar. _

"_Damn them, Iemitsu! I will kill you too if you do not let go of me!" _

_A fit of rage blew up in the blond's face and he swung at the high priest's face. Bam! The man's eyes rolled up inside his head to show the blank white and he fell to the ground. Stripping him of the overzealous church dog, Iemitsu slid out his pickaxe at his side and smashed the floor. A gust of black wind swirled into the air as he hit the concrete and the pale light trapping the arcobaleno faded into dust. _

_The black specks floated in the air as the vampires were freed, and a wave of shocked voices rose in the air. _

"_What have you done, Iemitsu?!" _

"_You are a priest!"_

"_You have doomed us all!"_

_As soon as the demons breathed their fist breath of fresh air, the barrier broken, the arcobaleno quickly jumped into action and soared into the air. Those who had guns cocked it and aimed at the humans below._

_Bararararara!_

_The gunfire sent the priests to run back. _

"_Demons!" they yelled as they ran in fear._

_The vampires were fueled by their screams as their level of hate rose from the betrayal. They continued their onslaught and hunted the fleeing humans. Another gallon of blood dashed on the floor as more victims were added to casualty list. _

"_Stop!" a voice yelled for reason in the havoc. _

_Neither side would listen as one attacked and the other kept running. _

"_I said stop!" _

_A multitude of blue explosions burst in the midst of the battlefield. The vampires turned tail for stable ground as soon as they saw the explosion. _

_Reborn skidded away as a huge force pushed him back. He gritted his teeth as he headed for a safe place out of the zone of explosions and watched as the bursts and smoke cooled itself down. He tilted his fedora with the barrel of his gun and panted trying to catch his breath; his eyes shifting for any sudden movements that might come at him. After a few seconds, the cloud of dust blew away and he was safe. The tension on his jaw eased and was about to step forward when he noticed an unnatural glow on the floor._

_What the? He shot his head up and his eyes widened at the sight of a floating cross in the sky. Before he could move, the cross came crashing down to the concrete and a magnetic pull strung them to the sacred object. _

"_Ahhh!" he could hear the other vampires scream as they were ripped from the ground and slammed onto the holy cross. _

_A sharp pain burned their skin as they touched it, the searing pain sending their minds blank. An invisible hand grabbed at the vampires holding them in place as they twisted in agony. Shit! What the hell was this?!_

_Reborn's arm spasmed out of control but he refused to drop his gun. He gritted his teeth toughing the pain as he looked up, searching for the asshole who did this. All the humans were far away as they chased them from their sudden attack earlier but one man did come forward._

_The black robe fluttered in the air as he came closer, and the arcobaleno's body jerked as he tried to rip himself from the cross so he could go over and kill the man. _

"_I said stop,"_

_Reborn glared at the priest who just saved them seconds ago. What in the world was this man doing? He saved them then he goes and binds them again?_

"_You can not kill humans like you wish," Iemitsu frowned. _

_A scowl bent Reborn's lips as the feeling of being crossed bubbled inside. "You betrayed us," _

"_The priests just lost their sight of authority because of their loyalty," _

_Bullshit. Reborn wanted to spit at the way Iemitsu was trying to protect the humans. _

"_You have no loyalty for keeping your word," he growled. "It just comes to show that you humans are just as deceiving and tactful as any demon, don't you think?"_

_The blond looked down at the pissed arcobaleno before him and silently sighed. His eyes glided across the prisoners he caught with his cross and studied their pained angry faces. As his gaze traveled to each and every one of them, all of them glared back at him. _

"_You were attacking members of the church; I had to restrain you guys," Iemitsu closed his eyes, "According to the the many generations of the holy church, you guys are marked unholy and untrustworthy beings," _

_Reborn was about to snap when the pressure that was keeping him pressed against the cross vanished._

"_but I don't think so," _

_The pureblood's eyes widened as his body fell to the ground, the cross's hold on him gone. His face met the cold dusty surface of the concrete and he suddenly found it hard to breath. He tried to move his neck to look up, but found the nerves connecting his body unable to make commands. He shifted his red eyes confused as he found himself in a doll like shell immobilized on the floor._

_Clack. Clack. Clack. He could hear the small heels come closer to him when he finally saw the black leather of a man's shoes. _

"_I believe that you all have the right to live – at least to exist, but it seems the Vatican had ordered one of the other high priests to kill all of you,"_

_Reborn strained his eyes to find Iemitsu's face as the priest talked to him._

"_I will talk to the Vatican and present my case to the pope. For the future generation, I hope you will keep alive," _

…_..._

* * *

_Innocence. Putiry. The potential to live in harmony without bringing calamity. Soul. _

_These were the things he had been accused for not having._

_Time had blacked and passed him by. Now, the head of the Vampire race stood before the religious gathering of the church congregation as if a prisoner presenting his innocence of a charged crime before becoming sentenced to death._

"_These are the things you say we vampires don't posses? We have been living within your society for thousands of years without you noticing. We can live perfectly well with you humans,"_

"_Ha!" one of the priests spoke out of term. "You dirty demons have caused havoc just days ago! The two years of you all ravaging throughout the cities, you demons nearly sucked the country of Italy whole! The manner in which you gorged yourselves, you are immoral creatures!"_

_Reborn cast the loud mouthed priest a sharp glance making him jump._

"_Ngh!" the man drew back._

"_Your priest is the one without manners," the arcobaleno turned to the pope._

_The holiest man in the room watched as the demon seethed in anger. Reborn hated that he had to take being judged like this. _

"_Vampire," the man dressed in the most ornate robe called to him. "You say that you demons have in it in yourselves to live honestly? Can you prove that?"_

_The red irised of the peeved vampire looked at the plotting human._

"_I understand that you have a child. A child of three, now is he?"_

_Reborn grew stiff as he didn't like the mention of his son. "Yes," he answered._

"_Hmn... Children... they are born pure," the elderly man stroked the tip of his beard nodding._

"_They come into the world as untainted slates that are painted by their experiences in the world. If you can prove that a demon child can be born and melt in to confines of the human society – growing up and budding out into what we can accept as an acceptable 'human' being, then we will accept your race within ours as well,"_

_What the hell? Reborn scrunched his brows._

"_I intend to raise my child the way I expect him to act to become a man,"_

"_But you are not 'man'," the pope quickly shot him down._

"_If we are to let your race live, we need to proof that a child of yours can live and be raised by humans. If the child accepts humans unconditionally, it proves that there is hope for you demons after all,"_

_Was the pope just looking down at him? The demon didn't like the condescending tone. _

"_I doubt any of you would want to take care of a demon child," he gave a smug smirk. _

_Murmurs went around the room silently complaining that none of them would ever even think of doing so. _

"_Father Iemitsu seems to have no problem," the pope refused to waver. "From now on, you can leave your son to his care," _

"_Your holiness!" Iemitsu's head shot up from his seat. _

_Reborn's fangs twitched inside his mouth but he bit it down. Like he'd give his son. _

"_Vampire," the elderly man noticed his suppressed anger to tear his head a new one. "Do you wish to hear the conditions for us to let you live?"_

_The man raised a cocky brow at the demon expecting him not to answer, and indeed, Reborn kept his mouth sealed. _

"_The first, is the condition that you give your son to the church,"_

_No... Reborn thought that the demand was too cruel._

"_The second, the Arcobaleno familia will fall under the church's loyalty to serve as the force that'll keep the vampires in check. This requires that all vampires must be subjected to you and your family. Third, you will create a small organization under your command meant to help you keep order. Fourth, all vampires must be congregated into institutions easily monitored by the church. Lastly, all heirs of the three main families must be kept together in one institution where they will be kept under heavy watch," _

_No... _

_Reborn closed his eyes at all the petty demands._

_No...They were not part of the church._

_No..._

"_Do you agree?"_

_No..._

"_Not my son,__" he refused to give in._

_A dangerous air filled the room as the vampire and the pope fell into a stare – both eyes full of contempt of the other. They remained like that for what seemed like hours on end rejecting each others proposals. _

_Was it day? Nights? The meeting went on forever when an emptiness filled the vampires heart. There was no ways the humans wouldn't get what they want. _

"_Then we've agreed," _

_Reborn stood there motionless. _

"_We will take your son,"_

_The haughty voice couldn't get out of his head. _

_The church, the church... They only wanted control of everything. The pope dismissed the meeting and Reborn caught a glimpse of the blond priest give him a sorry look. Heh.. He didn't need that. He turned away from the group of priests. He didn't need any of this at all. _

_His steps echoed down the tile floors of the Vatican church. They were hollow and mocking and he did his best to walk as fast as he could out of there. He hurried out the heavy doors with dark eyes as he met the gloomy rain. Pellets of water smashed onto the pavement as the rain still continued pouring down. _

_The rain never stopped. For a moment, he thought it never will. He tilted his head up to look at the still grey clouds. Really, will the beautiful blue ever come back?_

…_..._

* * *

_Raining, raining, it obscured anything outside. Even inside the Arcobaleno house, the hissing of the rain audibly sang. It remained silent inside the mansion as they still didn't know what was happening to the family head. Was he being tortured. Killed? The priest promised he would help them. But then again, he was a priest. _

_Yuni was alone in the room as she drowned in the uncertain thoughts but a fussing around her legs distracted her. The toddler in her lap fussed and she patted his head trying to calm him down._

"_Don't worry, Tsuna," she was trying to comfort herself more than the boy who had no clue as to what had been happening for the past two years, "your dad will come home soon. He will,"_

_The boy squeezed her hand and tried to bite it. _

"_Ngrhm," he salivated on her skin._

_She gave a small laugh at all his silly antics and wished that everything will get better. As she looked at the clueless brown eyes below her, tears began to water her view. Ugh, was she going to cry? She bit down her lip and was about to let herself go when there was a faint sound of Verde's voice._

_She shook her head shaking off the weak feeling; she couldn't let anyone see her like this. _

"_Verde," she turned to the door prepared to see the scientist._

_Instead, her eyes widened when she saw the dark suit of the long body that she hadn't seen for so long._

"_Uncle Reborn!" she let out in a surprise._

_The man didn't reply but the other did. Verde tilted his glasses higher up his nose as he put a hand in his pocket. "Your son's in here,"_

_The long absent head gave a nod as his gaze landed on the boy in Yuni's arms. The man looked tired as as he walked inside the room with the green haired braniac and sat beside her. A relieved smiled tugged on her face as she finally got to see the vampires face safe despite his worn expression. He bent over reaching for his son as the boy compliantly waddled over switching to his lap. _

_Reborn gave a heavy sigh as he leaned back in the couch, his eyes looking tired but never leaving the small boy's face._

"_Thank you for taking care of Tsuna," he turned his head to young girl. _

_Something was not right in the way he slumped, and Yuni grew worried. _

"_He missed you," she patted the toddler's back._

_Everyone missed you. The very least, couldn't hold their selves down wondering if he'd ever come back. Reborn looked longingly at the brunette in his hands, then suddenly leaped forward wrapping his whole body around the small boy._

_Yuni gave a jolt of surprise as the head broke with his son's in his embrace. _

"_U-uncle.. what's wrong?" _

_The boy became restless at his tight hold. Reborn eased up and rested his chin against Tsuna's tiny shoulder and gazed his eyes far longing in the distance._

"_He should miss me," _

_Yuni grew confused as to what was going on. Did something happen? A tint colored the older man's face as he slowly let go of his child. At the moment he let go, a knock came at the door. Yuni turned her attention to the sound and found a human standing. _

"_Reborn," the blond man in the black robe spoke up. _

_There was guilt in his scrunched brows as he called for the vampire. _

"_We're waiting outside," _


	9. Omake

**A/N : This is the last of the chapter that I'm going to put up since I'm not sure how to continue this. Hopefully, it feels a lil done? But this is an omake so please enjoy~**

* * *

**~Omake~**

* * *

~Vongola House in Italy~

"So.. Tsuna's being taken away?" Yuni looked at Reborn breaking into tears.

They all understood that he had to. For the sake of all them, they had to.

Yuni focused on the blank expression of the head Arcobaleno and sniffled.

"Do you.. do you regret going to Antarctica?"

Antarctica... That was how Tsuna was made.

"No," Reborn kissed his son's forehead. "That was the best part of my life,"

...

~Back in the Past in Antarctica~

A cold howling wind kept pushing and pushing him back.

_Damn it, Skull! _A peeved expression scrunched the pureblood's face. He's been missing for months and the only thing the motorcyclist left was a note that said he was going to Antarctica. He didn't pick up his phone or contact them; what the hell was that lacky up to?! And why the hell did he run to Antarctica?! The fur of his jacket licked his frozen face as he trudged on. The blizzard was screaming deafeningly to his ears when there was a huge spark that blew off into the far off distance. What the?

Reborn quickened his pace towards the explosion. That must've been Skull. Who else could be disturbing this quiet, almost barren place?! He hurried over the small hill where the ruckus and found a bunch of penguins quacking in a group. They flapped their arms around something black near a motorcycle. A motorcycle?!

"Skull!" Reborn ran to the angry penguins.

He shooed them away as they flailed in anger. He quickly turned over the man that was being attacked and his face dropped. This... This wasn't Skull. Suddenly, his wireless receiver beeped at the side of his pocket.

"Uncle Reborn! Uncle Reborn!"

He heard Yuni's voice and and answered it.

"Yuni?"

"Uncle Reborn! We found Skull!"

"What?" he scrunched his brows confused.

"Verde found him in Abkhazia. Apparently, he just spelled the name of the country wrong. He was going there for a stunt job. They called him out of the blue for the job and he had to leave within such a short notice so he wasn't able to tell anyone."

Reborn's hand twitched and the wireless in his hand cracked. A static ran over the device as Yuni tried to call out to him over the noise. That damn lackey! How the fuck did Abkhazia become Antarctica?!

...

A few days later in Italy, Skull was back home on the couch when the door suddenly slammed open.

"Hm?" he turned around. "Oi! Reborn!" he saw the man's grave face and set his foot from the table and back to the ground. "I heard you were looking for me. Haha! How stupid! You actually went to Antarctica looking for me for three months?! Haha-"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Reborn got his gun out and started shooting.

"Re-Reborn!" the punk stumbled out of his seat crawling back.

The pureblood drew closer and grabbed the idiot by the collar and started smacking and stomping him.

"Learn how to spell correctly, idiot!"

"Uncle Reborn!" Yuni came in just as the arcobaleno threw the stuntman out the window.

She put her hand over her mouth as the glass broke and he flew out the building.

"U-uncle!" she called out to him again.

The man only growled ignoring her and swaggered out of the room.

"Uncle Reborn! Where are you going?! You just got back!"

The man pursed his lips and looked back at the confused girl.

"Yuni... Do you know how lonely it is in Antarctica with no human contact for three months?"

The girl shook her head as the suited man scoffed.

"I'm getting something to warm me up,"

And just like that, for the next year, Reborn was no where to be found. The same month he left, he came back.

"Reborn!" the arcobaleno familia turned as they door opened to reveal their leader.

Their brows tightened in slight anger and worry that he was gone for so long, but quickly dropped when they saw what he was holding in his hands - a baby boy.

"Reborn!" Lal was the first to regain herself and come up to him. "What the heck are you holding?!"

The woman stared mortified at the thing in his arms and with a straight face, he answered.

"I got warmed up,"

...

~How come we only know about Asari's family and their special powers?~

Asari stared at his red-headed teammate as they all ate their lunch on the rooftop. Oddly enough, G was keeping quiet as he ate. Noticing the Japanese stare, the boy took a quick peek at him then quickly looked away. What was G thinking? Asari couldn't help but look at him with curious eyes.

Just a little bit, he tried to read his mind.

_'Asari's been staring at my bread for a while.. I wonder if he wants some.. Does he? Maybe I should ask. But then it's pork; does he like pork?'_

The red head shifted his gaze at the pureblood one more time but then looked, just as quickly as before, away.

_'I wanna ask him...'_

Asari drew back placing a hand over his face and stopped reading the other's mind.

"Just ask me already!" his face came to a blush.

Result: They shared a pork bun.

[Ugetsu Asari's family can read minds]

...

~Back to present~

"Tsuna, you stink," G pinched his nose.

Tsuna looked at him embarrassed and smelled himself. Did he smell that bad?

"He's just in love," Reborn waved his hand.

"I-in love?!" the brunette grew red.

He fidgeted in his seat when Yamamoto grabbed his shoulder and hugged him.

"Well, he is with me!"

"Wait," G turned serious. "You mean purebloods start smelling when they fall in love?"

"Yup," Reborn nodded. "That's how they're wired. It makes purebloods more vulnerable when they get attracted to someone,"

"But I don't want to smell!" Tsuna jumped up from his seat.

"Then shall we get Giotto to drink from you?" Reborn raised a brow.

Yamamoto immediately pulled Tsuna back down and bit his neck. "I'll drink from Tsuna!"

"Ngh!" the brunette let out a moan.

Reborn's face twitched at the sight of his son being touched.

"It only works if a pureblood does it," Asari laughed.

"Then where's Giotto?" Iemitsu tilted his head. "Wasn't he supposed to drink from Tsuna before he turned sweet?"

"The smell can only be erased once it starts from happening. It can't be prevented beforehand," Asari turned to the priest. "But I don't think Giotto will be getting up from bed any time soon," the dark haired teen gave a wry smile.

The priest didn't get the meaning behind the smirk that ran across the teen's face, but he did get that Asari was also a pureblood.

"Then Asari," the human continued. "why don't _you _drink from Tsuna?"

G's head jerked as he shot a glare at the priest.

"Sorry," the pureblood shook his head. "The ritual requires that both purebloods drink from each other, and I only feel comfortable enough to let G and Giotto drink from me,"

The red head discreetly slid his hand across the couch and merged his fingers with Asari's to hold his hand. The Japanese was still too traumatized to let anyone else do it to him.

"See?" the pureblood smiled.

Iemitsu grew embarrassed seeing the lovey dovey display of the two couples on the other side of the couch.

"It's okay!" Yamamoto suddenly burst out. "It doesn't matter if I'm not a pureblood. I can protect Tsuna and be by his side!"

The brunette sweat dropped as he gave a shifty glance at the tanned teen. Yamamoto noticed his stare and gave a bright smile.

"Agh!" Tsuna gave a scream as Yamamoto dug into him again.

Prepare to be smothered by the athletic muscles of Yamamoto, Tsuna!

…..

~How come we only know about Asari's family and their special powers? Part II~

Heavy panting filled the air as Alaude came inside him. Oh god, it felt so good! The blond eased up and softly dropped on top of him. His manly smell filled Giotto's senses as the blue eyed teen rested on top of him.

The heat on the pureblod's face still ran hot and as he looked to other's face, he saw that Alaude was looking at him. The handsome face of his guardian...

"You make me feel so good..." the words just came out of him.

Giotto immediately regretted saying such a turn on as an energized glint shined in the blond's eyes. Alaude immediately wrapped his long arms around the Italian and swished him on top of him. This time, they switched places and Alaude was the one laying down with Giotto on top of him. A bashful blush ran across Giotto's face as he sat on top the blue eyed teen.

"Ride on me," the hands around his waist tightened as he felt the bulge grow from under him.

_No! Not another round! _Giotto was too tired for another go. How much stamina did Alaude have?! His hands felt the blond's sculpted chest as his heart beat restlessly at it. Alaude was so pumped from doing it, and he still wanted some more... Not wanting to upset him, the pureblood looked directly at the blue irises of his lover and stared hard.

_You are getting tired... tired... _

He tried to destroy the blond's senses but nothing was happening. Alaude sharpened his eyes waiting when he suddenly sat up.

"Ngh!" Giotto drew back. Why wasn't he tiring?!

Alaude bit down on his lip hard and stuck his tongue deep into the Vongola's. "I want you... to keep going,"

The insatiable appetite of this one. Somehow, the hard kisses turned the pureblood hard again and he wrapped his arms around the blond's neck.

"Ngh!' an unwanted moan came out of him.

Result: they went another round.

[Giotto Vongola's family can distort a person's senses and up to a certain degree can change a piece of memory - as what happened to Tsuna and the basketball team]

…..

~Somewhere in the middle of the night, a scared waiter~

"Giotto! Giotto!" Lampo barged into the pureblood's house.

A group of butlers greeted him at the door and tried to push him back.

"Sir! I'm sorry but-"

"Yeah, yeah! I know!" the curly haired teen pushed the old men away. "The master of the house is not letting anyone visit right now! But something important happened!"

Lampo forced his way through the clinging servants and ran up the stairs to the Italian's room. He had to tell him about Tsuna's new found bloodlust! The way the boy licked him at the restaurant still scared the crap out of him!

"Giotto!" he slammed the pureblood's bedroom door open. "Just a few hours ago, at the restaurant! Tsuna! He-"

Bam! A palm suddenly pushed him to the floor.

"Agh!" he fell right on his ass. "What the?"

He rubbed his bottom hissing at the pain and looked up. "Eh?" his mouth dropped to a dumbfounded stare as he saw a grimacing blond standing over him. He stood there half naked with a blanket wrapped around his waist, and the green haired teen could see his muscles popping out. An ominous gloom radiated out of him as he was ready to kill Lampo.

"Alaude?!"

Why was the blond here?!

"W-wait!" the boy pushed himself back to his feet. "Where's Giotto?!"

Wasn't this his bedroom?!

"Giotto?!" Lampo ignored the peeved half naked boy in front of him and stretched his head to look inside the bedroom.

A heavy musk went up to his nose as he peeked inside and his body froze at what he saw.

"Lampo..." the spiky haired teen blushed as he was tied to the bedpost.

A type of erotic heat filled the pureblood's body as he sweated on the bed sheets. He could see Giotto growing more embarrassed by the second at his incredulous stare, and the pureblood fidgeted rubbing his pale legs together.

"G-Giotto!" was the only thing Lampo could say.

The Italian's naked body was exposed save for a thankful piece of a blanket over the crotch area. The curly haired teen gulped as his brain wired itself understanding what he interrupted. If it was right...

Lampo shakily shifted his eyes down at the blond in front of him and looked at his legs. His jaw dropped when he realized that Alaude was covered in sweat, and the only thing he was wearing was another blanket.

Did Lampo just-?! He walked in - ?! Giotto and... ?!

A rough hand pushed him again shoving his chest.

"W-woah!" the boy stumbled back.

He bumped into the wall and looked back at the angry blond.

"Don't come back," Alaude sent a murderous glare and slammed the door.

The curly haired teen just stood against the wall still shocked. What the hell...?

"Sir!" one of the servants came running up to him. "Our master is already entertaining a guest, and does not wish to take in anymore right now,"

The old man tugged on his arm hinting him to leave.

"O-okay..."

Lampo followed the flustered butler back down the stairs. He really didn't want to be in that type of entertainment. As he reached the door leaving the mansion, a thought hit him. Did Giotto not leave the house for a week because he was doing _that _with Alaude.

A shiver sent crawling up his spine. The things purebloods do...

[No, not the past week. But the the upcoming week will do :)]

...

~So who came to Tsuna's room in chapter 1?~

Truthfully, I haven't decided yet. But wasn't Tsuna going to prank the jerk back? That part got lost in the story at some point...

...

~How come we only know about Asari's family and their special powers? Part III~

Asari and Giotto sat tensely in the room in one side as they studied the blank face of the Arcobaleno. All of the pureblood heads had now congregated into a single room.

What was Reborn thinking? Has he accepted Yamamoto? Asari tried to read the man's mind but there was nothing.

Giotto shifted his eyes over to the dark haired teen and by hyper intuition, he could tell that Asari was having some trouble. Why was Asari making a troubled face? The Italian looked back at the arcobaleno and focused hard. _You are seeing Tsuna and Yamamoto kissing right now... Right now..._

Giotto let out a tired sigh as he gave up after a few minutes. Why wasn't Reborn reacting? The man took his glass from the table and sipped a cup of wine.

"Stop trying to rape me with your eyes already," he snapped at them.

Result: Giotto and Asari failed.

[Reborn's family line can block the special abilities of the other two families and have the strongest flames thus making them the strongest family. Too bad special abilities are only awakened when the pureblood has been drunk by another pureblood.]

* * *

**A/N: Hoped you liked it. I'm really sorry there really wasn't enough of 8027 and I'm sadden by that but that only means that I'm gonna make a maybe oneshot with them later on and it'll be pure action! Maybe lemon? Lime? Smu...t? Haha, I'm not sure yet, but it'll be out soon so keep a watchful eye out for it! :3 Thank you for reading!**

**Oh, and by the way, Nana is not Tsuna's real mother either. I intended her to be a long time lover that Iemitsu has despite not being able to get married.**


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